Sh2.6m spent on vaccinating 10,000 Kisumu cows

A veterinary officer vaccinates cattle in Molo on April 9, 2019. Kisumu will hold a similar exercise to contain an anthrax outbreak. [File, Standard]

Kisumu county administration will spend Sh2.6 million in a three weeks long mass vaccination of cows to contain an Anthrax outbreak.

A week ago, the county officials announced the outbreak after one person died and four were hospitalised at the Kisumu County Referral Hospital for consuming meat from a dead cow believed to have been infected by the disease.

Health officials said 40 other residents were treated and discharged.

The victims are all from Nyamasaria area in the outskirts of Kisumu.

Yesterday, the County director of veterinary services Dr. Evans Odhiambo said the activity that began on Tuesday targets 10,000 cows in the county.

“We will vaccinate and treat the infected cows, tests are being carried on cows with ailing symptoms,” said Odhiambo.

He said tests had been done on animals in the home where a cow had died of anthrax.

“We are educating residents on the dangers of eating dead animals and the need to report sudden illness among animals for an immediate investigation," Dr. Odhiambo said.

Odhiambo said as at yesterday about 3,400 cows in the highly affected areas of Nyamasaria and Mowlem had been vaccinated.

Breakdown

He said the amount budgeted for the process will cover the cost of the vaccine, human resource among other costs.

“We are discouraging people from household slaughters and encouraging them on the need to vaccinate their animals,” noted Odhiambo.

He added that another mass vaccination of Dogs in Seme Sub-county kicked off yesterday to tame Rabies outbreak that was reported in the area three weeks ago.

The four people who had been admitted with the diseases have since been discharge.