Dhaka, June 5 (UNB) - Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdul Latif Biswas on Sunday said the government has directed the authorities concerned to vaccinate cattle in the areas infected by anthrax.

The Minister said this while briefing reporters at his ministry on the outcome of the 79th conference of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) which he attended in Paris recently.

Biswas said the OIE assured that they would provide help to control animal diseases including anthrax, PPR and Avian influenza (bird flu), which are common in Bangladesh.

He said the conference asked the Bangladesh government to submit to OIE a proposal mentioning the support needed to control animal diseases in the country. A proposal in this regard would be sent to OIE as early as possible.

The Livestock Minister informed that the OIE has assured that it will provide vaccines from its Vaccine Bank to control anthrax in Bangladesh.

“The OIE also assured all-out support to modernize laboratories of our Livestock Department,” he said.

According to newspaper reports, over 40 people in Shahjadpur and Ullapara upazilas of Sirajganj district have been infected with anthrax recently.

Health experts said anthrax is a disease caused by the bacterium called bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals. There are effective vaccines against anthrax, and some forms of the disease respond well to antibiotic treatment.