An anthrax scare in Istanbul led to quarantines in two rural neighborhoods in western Istanbul over the weekend and hospitalized six people. Authorities have assured the public that measures are in place against the animal-borne disease that was first reported on a farm in the capital Ankara last month.
Six people out of eight hospitalized for anthrax suffered from skin lesions and were discharged from the hospital after their treatment, authorities announced yesterday. All were from Silivri, a district of Istanbul that is a livestock hub for Turkey's most populated city. About 3,500 animals in the region are being vaccinated against the disease. Istanbul Governor Vasip Şahin told reporters that the disease's source was the slaughter of an animal without veterinarian supervision. "An expert would see signs [of anthrax] in the animal and would warn those who slaughter animals," he said. Şahin assured the public that the disease is preventable through vaccinations.
The first major cases of anthrax were detected in Gölbaşı, a district of Ankara, at a farm where imported livestock is kept. Some 146 animals died, but the government has taken steps to ensure that meat from the animals of that farm was not consumed.
In the central province of Sivas, three people were diagnosed with anthrax in a village that was put under quarantine. All three were discharged from the hospital after treatment for skin lesions.