Overview

• Approximately 50 hippopotamuses were found dead in a river south of Lake Edward, near the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
• Park officials confirmed anthrax, caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis, as the cause of the outbreak.
• The Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) has advised against consuming bushmeat to prevent potential transmission to humans and domestic animals.
• Anthrax, while primarily affecting wildlife, poses a risk of transmission to humans and livestock, especially in areas with poor monitoring and resources.
• Virunga National Park, established in 1925 and renowned for its biodiversity, has a history of anthrax outbreaks affecting various wildlife species.