The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday, March 30, issued clarifications on Anthrax amid the reported outbreak in Laos and tightening border controls of its neighboring countries.

“Anthrax does not spread from person to person like colds or the flu,” DOH said in a statement released by Officer-In-Charge Assistant Secretary and Deputy Spokesperson Dr. Albert Domingo.

“It is caused by a bacterium called Bacillus anthracis, which produces spores. Animals like livestock are the ones most affected,” DOH explained.

DOH noted that the risk of the general public getting infected by Anthrax is “very low.”

“Veterinarians, farmers, livestock personnel, and other workers who handle animals and their products may have a higher risk,” DOH added.

Vaccines not for the general population

The Health Department noted that because the risk is specific to certain populations and occupations, available vaccines for Anthrax are “not used for the general population.”

“The public can avoid getting Anthrax by avoiding raw or undercooked meat or meat products,” DOH said.

Contact with livestock or animal remains, DOH said, should also be avoided.

Close monitoring

As this developed, DOH assured the public that it is “closely monitoring” developments in other countries that have reported a higher than-usual number of Anthrax cases.

DOH said it will also be coordinating with the Department of Agriculture for “preventive measures for animals including livestock.”

In the Philippines, DOH said that only 82 suspected anthrax cases were recorded over seven years – from Jan. 1, 2017, to Dec. 31, 2023.

“There were no reported anthrax health events in 2019 to 2021; neither have there been any from January 1 to March 29, 2024,” DOH added.