Stavropol Medics Claim Anthrax Does Not Threaten The Area

Medics of the Stavropol Territory /southern Russia/ believe that anthrax does not threaten the Territory despite the two cases exposed this year. Irina Kovalchuk, acting deputy head doctor of the State Epidemic Supervision Centre in the Stavropol Territory, said as much Wednesday. In her words, two villagers of the Novoseletsky and Sovetsky regions have been diagnosed with anthrax but they have already been dispatched from hospitals and are quite well. Kovalchuk noted that such a disease is diagnosed nearly every year in the Territory, but not often. Kovalchuk is confident that today anthrax epidemy is not threatening the Territory's population. An accurate anthrax treatment system and anti-epidemic measures have been drawn up in the area. Scientists of the Stavropol research anti-plague institute are taking an active part in the process, and their expeditions are working in different regions of the North Caucasus. According to Kovalchuk, the so-called risky group--people dealing with cattle breeding and meat processing--is being vaccinated. A constant reserve of the necessary antibiotics and other medicines has been set up everywhere. Kovalchuk added that readiness of medical institutions for a possible outbreak of the anthrax was also being checked.