Anthrax follows Bird Flu in West Bengal

Malda, Feb 01 (UNI) After Bird Flu, now is the turn of the dreaded anthrax, which has struck the district with some domestic animals falling to its prey, while about 2000 wild bees died from an unknwon disease.

District Magistrate Chitta Ranjan Das today said suspected anthrax killed about nine cattleheads, including cow, goat and bull, in the past eight days at English Bazar.

A mysterious disease also killed some 2000 wild bees at an abondoned house at English Bazar, creating panic among the local residents, Mr Das said.

The samples of the dead were sent to Bhopal's High Security Animals Diseases Laboratory for tests, the District Magistrate said.

Meanwhile, bird flu scare continued to haunt the Gajole block in the district as about 132 chickens died in the past 24 hours.

In Chanchol block, so far 86,000 chickens had either died of the Avian Influenza or been culled for suspected H5N1, Mr Das said.

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