An anthrax outbreak in humans has resurfaced in Zimbabwe's Masvingo province with five cases having been reported and one person dead since the beginning of last week, local newspaper the Herald reported on Monday.

Health officials were quoted as saying that they were still investigating the death of one person who died after eating some beef suspected to have been contaminated with anthrax.

Charles Sandy, acting Masvingo provincial medical director, confirmed that there had been an outbreak of anthrax in Gutu district, Masvingo province, which had affected five people so far.

"There has been another outbreak of anthrax in humans in Gutu and we are closely monitoring the situation as the whole district is affected. However, since the beginning of the week, about five cases of anthrax have been reported in humans and we are dealing with the situation," Sandy said.

Sandy said they had enough stocks of anthrax drugs to treat people infected by the deadly disease, adding that they were currently carrying out educational campaigns to teach villagers on the dangers of anthrax.

He said the major cause of anthrax in humans was the consumption of beef from cattle that would have died of the disease.

The resurgence of anthrax in Gutu district came a few months after the province had successfully managed to tame the disease that had also resulted in the death of hundreds of livestock.

Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by spore-forming bacteria, whose spores can survive for a long time.

Source: Xinhua