"Unprecedented Anthrax Outbreak Sweeps Across Africa, Experts Alarmed"

Five African countries are currently experiencing outbreaks of anthrax, with nearly 1,200 people affected and 20 deaths reported. However, only a small fraction of the presumed cases have been confirmed with lab tests, leading to confusion about the exact nature and scale of the outbreaks. In Uganda, many of the presumed cases have resulted in negative tests for anthrax, raising the possibility of another disease circulating. Anthrax is typically spread through the consumption of infected animal meat, and the outbreaks are thought to be confined to this transmission route. The simultaneous occurrence of five outbreaks is considered unusual, and investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the outbreaks and identify other possible diseases with similar symptoms.