KHAR: A mysterious disease, declared by livestock officials as anthrax, has reportedly killed a number of animals in Bajaur Agency over the last few days, locals told Dawn on Friday.

They said several cattle heads had died of the disease during past two weeks in various localities of Mamond and Khar tehsils.

According to them, a number of cattle had also been infected with the disease.

The locals said the disease had panicked them as they could not afford the loss of their precious animals.

The people said following the death of animals, the officials of local livestock department had visited the affected areas and obtained information about the disease. According to them, the livestock officials examined the infected cattle and vaccinated a number of animals in the localities.

Meanwhile, livestock department officials said the disease might be anthrax. However, assistant director livestock and dairy development, Dr Ahmad Younis, declared the disease as anthrax. But, he rejected the local people’s claim that a number of cattle had been killed by the disease.

He clarified that anthrax disease was reported in Chengazo area of Khar where so far only one cattle had been killed.

He said soon after receiving information about the outbreak of the disease, teams had been dispatched to the affected area to administer anti-anthrax vaccines to cattle.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2017