Seven persons with symptoms of suspected anthrax disease have been admitted to the government King George Hospital (KGH),Visakhapatnam on Thursday. 

According to KGH Hospital Officials, “It is believed that the victims belonging to a village, near here, contracted the infection after reportedly eating beef, a few days ago. The hospital superintendent Dr Arjuna said that 13 people were presently undergoing treatment for suspected cutaneous” anthrax disease. Of the 13, six were admitted to the hospital a week ago and seven others two days back, he said.

He said blood samples of the infected have been sent for lab testing. The reports are expected in two weeks, he added. “There is no cause for alarm as all the victims have lesions on their skin, and coetaneous anthrax can be cured with drugs,” he said. The Andhra Pradesh Chief minister N Chandra babu Naidu conducted a review meeting with the medical and health officials at Vijayawada regarding increasing number of anthrax cases in the Tribal Agency areas.