YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–Eight people with signs of anthrax were hospitalized in Armenia’s Armavir province this week. Four of them are residents of the village of Maisian and four live in the village of Hoktember–Armavir doctor Sos Hovhannissian told Tuesday’s press conference at the Ministry of Health. He said that immediately after signals were received–the Regional Center of Hygiene and Sanitation took appropriate measures to localize the infection outbreak.
The outbreak was caused by cattle slaughtered by one of the villagers of Maisian–who was also fell ill–and sold to 20 residents in the village–which was followed by three more cases of anthrax. The infected meat was confiscated and appropriate sanitation measures were applied.
All of the eight patients are under constant medical care now–and their health conditions are satisfactory.
It was said during the press conference at the Ministry that the main cause of the infection which spreads from animal to man were the omissions of the veterinary services. Armenia’s chief sanitarian Vladimir Davidiants said Armavir’s Governor had dismissed the province’s chief veterinary in connection with the sad events. Davidiants said street trading may also cause similar diseases. For that reason he called for banning street trading in avoidance of similar epidemics.