10 Sep 2010

Outbreak of anthrax spreads in Bangladesh

5:16 pm on 10 September 2010

The government in Bangladesh has put health and livestock officials on high alert after an outbreak of anthrax spread to more districts in the north and west of the country.

The latest outbreak is thought to have been caused by people slaughtering anthrax-infected cattle and selling or eating the contaminated meat, the BBC reports.

About 150 cattle have so far been killed by the disease, which can be transferred to humans who handle or eat infected animals.

An official says the outbreak is the biggest in the country's history.