Zambia Issues Urgent Health Warning as Anthrax Outbreak Kills Dozens of Wild Animals and Sickens 12 People

Public health and disaster management authorities in Zambia have issued an urgent warning advising citizens against the handling and consumption of dead wildlife following a deadly anthrax outbreak. The bacterial disease has killed dozens of wild animals across a major conservation corridor and resulted in human infections among local community members who consumed contaminated meat.

The outbreak has hit the Munyamadzi Game Management Area, located along the Munyamadzi River in Zambia's Muchinga province. Since July, wildlife authorities have documented a sharp rise in fatalities among several protected species that share the river basin and surrounding grazing lands.

According to official figures released by the country's Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, the confirmed animal toll has reached 60 wildlife casualties. The losses include 46 hippos, eight elephants, five buffaloes, and one crocodile, pointing to a severe impact across diverse wildlife populations within the ecosystem.

The situation escalated into a public health concern after at least 12 people contracted anthrax infections in the Munyamadzi River region. Health officials confirmed that these individuals fell ill after butchering and consuming meat retrieved from the carcasses of animals that had succumbed to the disease.

The 12 infected patients are currently undergoing medical treatment, and health authorities have confirmed that no human deaths have been recorded in connection with this specific outbreak. Medical teams remain on alert to identify and treat any additional suspected cases in nearby settlements.

Norman Chipakupaku, the national coordinator for the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, highlighted the underlying humanitarian and economic vulnerabilities that contributed to the human exposure. He noted that the tragedy of these wildlife deaths was compounded by the fact that local residents, who frequently face food insecurity and rely on wild animal meat for sustenance, collected and consumed the infected carcasses.

In response to the growing health hazard, government officials have strictly instructed the public to refrain from eating, handling, distributing, or selling any meat derived from animals that have died suddenly, naturally, or from unverified causes. Residents have also been cautioned against having any direct contact with wild animal remains.

Authorities are strongly urging members of the public to immediately notify wildlife and health officers whenever they encounter dead animals. Prompt reporting is considered essential to ensure that carcasses are safely disposed of before pathogens can spread further into the human food chain or surrounding environment.

To curb further transmission and limit human exposure within the affected zone, officials have ordered the temporary suspension of all hunting activities in the Munyamadzi Game Management Area. This measure will remain in effect until scientists and field teams can determine the exact severity and geographic scope of the contamination.

Surveillance teams and veterinary laboratories are currently conducting extensive investigations in Muchinga province. Authorities have acknowledged that they have not yet established the full geographical boundaries of the outbreak, making ongoing testing and active monitoring critical to containing the threat.

Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium *Bacillus anthracis*. The bacteria can survive in a dormant spore state within soil and sediment for years, persisting through extreme environmental conditions before finding a host. Animals typically contract the pathogen by inhaling spores or ingesting them through contaminated soil, feed, or water, as well as through open wounds.

The disease primarily targets herbivores and other grazing animals, frequently causing rapid illness and sudden death. Once an animal dies of anthrax, the bacteria can easily be transmitted to humans through direct contact with contaminated hides, bodily fluids, or tissue, or via the consumption of undercooked or improperly prepared meat from infected carcasses.

While anthrax is historically endemic to Zambia, human fatalities from the disease remain relatively rare when timely medical interventions are administered. However, past occurrences demonstrate that the bacteria can cause significant public health emergencies when large-scale animal die-offs intersect with local bushmeat consumption.

The country faced a severe crisis in 2023 during an unprecedented outbreak that spread across nine of Zambia's ten provinces and resulted in four human deaths. That widespread event underscored the speed with which the pathogen can travel through wildlife habitats and livestock supply networks.

A previous major outbreak occurred in 2011, when more than 500 human cases were identified and five people lost their lives. That epidemic was similarly traced back to the consumption of infected hippo carcasses retrieved from local waterways.

Disaster management officials and public health agencies are continuing their field operations in Muchinga province, maintaining strict oversight to ensure communities heed the warnings, avoid contaminated meat, and help prevent further spread of the disease.