Zagreb, 21 July 2025 (Hina/MIA) -- Of three samples taken from cattle found dead in Maovice, Croatia, two have tested positive for anthrax, Croatia's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced Sunday afternoon citing the Croatian Veterinary Institute. An order declaring an anthrax control zone comes into effect Monday and vaccination of livestock against the disease is also set to begin.

According to Croatian Institute of Public Health director Krunoslav Capak, 41 people who were in contact with the animals were given drugs to prevent an infection. “So far, not a single person has reported symptoms, and all have said they were in good health,” he told Croatian Television, noting that transmission from person to person was rare.

After the emergence of anthrax, local epidemiologists have been implementing precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease among humans. Preventive drug therapy was also given to nine individuals who conducted the analysis. Two members of the veterinary service and two journalists were also in contact.

According to Capak, humans acquire anthrax from handling infected animals or carcasses from animals that died of the disease. It can also be contracted from the environment via the Bacillus anthracis bacterium, although this is also very rare, he said. The average incubation period is seven days, and the disease most often appears in its cutaneous form.

The Croatian Veterinary Institute confirmed Friday the first case of anthrax in Croatia, in the village of Maovice in the municipality of Vrlika.

The initial suspicion of an infectious animal disease in Maovice was reported on July 7.

Following reports of sudden cattle deaths with no visible clinical symptoms, an authorized veterinarian carried out a clinical examination of the herd and sent a carcass of a deceased animal for further testing. its/ha/mr