Recently, in the seventh-level town of Yanggu County in Liaocheng, Shandong Province, a breeding farm had an outbreak of anthrax. According to official reports, five contacts have been infected and are receiving isolation treatment.
On August 1st, a notice with the header “Shandong Lianyuan Holding Group Co., Ltd.” circulated online, stating that the anthrax outbreak at the breeding farm in the seventh-level town of Yanggu County, Liaocheng caused many cattle deaths and transmitted the disease to humans, urging all employees of the company to “avoid consuming beef and lamb recently, avoid visiting the seventh-level town, and take personal protective measures.” This notice has garnered widespread attention.
Initially, the village committee of Qier Village in the seventh-level town denied the rumors circulating online through the media, stating that “it’s all rumors online, no one has died,” and claiming that “more than half a month ago, there were indeed sick cows in the village, which were cremated and buried and not transmitted to humans.”
Staff of Shandong Lianyuan Holding Group Co., Ltd. also claimed that the notice circulating online was fabricated, and the company has reported it to the police.
However, in the afternoon of the same day, staff from the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Department of Yanggu County Center for Disease Control and Prevention told “Xiaoxiang Morning News” that “those infected can be confirmed in that town in Yanggu, and there are cases in various towns and villages in other places.” When asked by the reporter if there were cases of human transmission, the staff member replied, “The outcome is still unknown, leaders are in a meeting. We can only say that it’s under investigation.”
As the related news continued to spread online, on August 2nd, CCTV News, a state media outlet, reported that as of 10 a.m. on the 2nd, five farm workers who had direct contact with sick livestock were diagnosed with cutaneous anthrax, with milder symptoms, all are under isolation treatment, and no other infections have been found among the remaining personnel.
Government officials of the seventh-level town also informed Jiemian News that the cattle farm in Qier Village in the seventh-level town where anthrax was discovered has been sealed off. The cattle farm and the village are separated, and normal access is allowed in and out of the village.
A villager from Qier Village mentioned that there are several breeding farms in the village, and other farms have not been affected for now. However, businesses in the seventh-level town are currently not allowed to sell beef. A cattle farmer from Litaizhen in the seventh-level town also stated that local animal quarantine officials notified not to buy or sell cattle four to five days ago.
Following the news, netizens questioned, “Is it a rumor or not? What about the five cases of anthrax? Which one is the rumor?” “Are the quarantine certificates randomly checked or checked for all?” Others said, “Now it’s better to believe there is a problem than to believe there isn’t. Even official reports will be cautious.” “Regardless, I will definitely not eat beef for now.” “The epidemic has eroded trust.” “Don’t ignore my safety.” “Will someone illegally sell diseased beef at low prices?”
One netizen even mentioned, “Just heard that there were reports of illegal selling, two days ago people died, and now there are still people in isolation.” A netizen from Jilin said, “Someone around me has died from this.”