Anthrax outbreak in Africa's oldest national park kills dozens of hippos, officials say
At least 30 hippos have died since September, officials said.
LONDON -- An anthrax outbreak in Africa's oldest national park has killed dozens of hippopotamuses, officials told ABC News on Thursday.
Since the outbreak was first identified in September, at least 30 hippos have died from anthrax at Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with laboratory analyses confirming the cause of deaths, according to Laura Parker, head of Virunga's conservation programs.
Parker said there have been no new cases identified in the past two weeks but that "the situation continues to be closely monitored."
"Park authorities are attributing this to the arrival of significant rainfall, and are cautiously optimistic that there won't be any further cases, but monitoring protocols continue," she told ABC News in an emailed statement.
The zoonotic infectious disease is caused by spore-forming bacteria found naturally in soil in most parts of the world, which can remain dormant for long periods, according to the World Health Organization.
Last year, an anthrax outbreak in Virunga killed approximately 65 hippos and also affected the buffalo population, Parker said.
"Anthrax does not exclusively affect hippos, but they are more susceptible due to a combination of their biology and feeding habits," she added.
Park officials have informed the local communities in and around the affected area about the outbreak, advising people not to touch or consume any animals found dead and instead report them to authorities, Parker said. Humans can get infected if they handle or are involved in the slaughter of a sick animal, or are in contact with contaminated animal products, according to the WHO.
"Virunga’s response is focused on surveillance, safe carcass management and reducing risks to both wildlife and people," Parker said. "Teams have been monitoring the affected area, documenting new mortalities and coordinating the safe handling and disposal of carcasses."
Virunga National Park, which was established in 1925 and spans some 3,000 square miles in the eastern part of the DRC, is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for "its active chain of volcanoes and rich diversity of habitats that surpass those of any other African park."
Virunga's latest anthrax outbreak comes as the DRC grapples with an Ebola epidemic that is already the world's second-largest on record, killing more than 5,000 people since May, according to the latest data from the Congolese health ministry.
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