The Director, Veterinary Services, Cross River Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Obi Ogae has declared that well boiled meat killed the organism of anthrax, hence does not prevent one from contracting the disease after consumption.
Dr Ogae made this disclosure on Saturday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State.
He made this statement in reaction to claims in some quarters that boiling meat properly could kill the pathogen that causes anthrax.
NAN reported that anthrax is a deadly bacterial and zoonotic disease caused by a bacterium called bacillus anthracis. It also occurs primarily in cattles, sheep, goats and could affect other animals.
Orga exained that the bacterium could only be destroyed using heat through the process of incineration, which will burn the substance to ashes thereby rendering it useless for consumption.
He further disclosed that while disposing of an animal that dies of anthrax, it should be done in a very deep grave after which disinfectant and chemical should be poured on the carcass before covering to prevent any escape.
He said, “This organism is not killed by the heat from our kitchens but from incineration, thereby burning the substance to ashes which renders the meat of no use to the owner,” he said.
Ogae said the public should desist from eating bush meat for the time being because the disease is zoonotic and could also affect animals in the wild.
He then urged Nigerians to buy their meat from approved meat markets and not from roadsides because no one could guarantee where they get their meat from.
It was gathered that few weeks ago, anthrax was reported in some neighboring West African countries and just last week, it was reported in Suleja, Niger State, Nigeria.
