Farmers in Luanda and Emuhaya sub-counties can once again move their livestock and sell meat freely. This is after the county government lifted a two-month anthrax quarantine that followed the death of two animals and one human from the soil-borne bacterial disease.

The quarantine, imposed in early April, confined livestock movements and closed animal markets in Luanda, Mwivona, and Esibuye. This was after an outbreak traced to the consumption of meat from a cow that died suddenly in Ebusunzo village, Emukola sub-location, West Bunyore Ward. The initial incident on April 7 triggered a rapid response that has now been declared successful.

Dr. Darlington Kadenge, Director of Veterinary Services for Vihiga County, officially called off the restrictions after concluding that thorough surveillance revealed no additional animal deaths from anthrax.

“After thorough surveillance we have not seen any other animal die of the disease. We see it fit to lift the quarantine and allow livestock to start moving and our people to continue trading livestock and selling meat,” Kadenge said.

The outbreak claimed two animals and infected two people, one of whom died. Anthrax, caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis, occurs naturally in soil and can remain dormant for decades before infecting grazing livestock. Humans typically contract the disease through handling or consuming contaminated animal products.

In response to the April outbreak, the county government deployed rapid response teams that launched intensive surveillance and vaccination campaigns across the affected areas, working through the departments of health services, agriculture, livestock, and fisheries. Vaccination efforts concentrated around Mwivona and Emukola, the epicenters of the incident.

The Department of Health Services issued public warnings advising residents against handling animals that die suddenly or consuming meat from unexpected deaths. Officials also urged farmers to report livestock illness or deaths immediately and to seek prompt medical attention for anyone exposed to infected animals.

Public awareness barazas were held throughout the two-month period to educate communities about anthrax transmission, symptoms, and prevention. The temporary closure of animal markets in Luanda, Mwivona, and Esibuye disrupted local livestock trade but proved necessary to contain the disease.

Anthrax poses particular challenges for smallholder farmers in western Kenya because spores can survive in grazing lands for years. Once an outbreak occurs, affected areas typically require repeated vaccination campaigns to prevent resurgence. The disease is zoonotic, meaning it moves between animals and humans, making veterinary and public health responses inseparable.

With the quarantine now lifted, Dr. Kadenge advised farmers to take their animals for health checks before transport and to obtain a movement permit certifying that each animal is healthy enough to travel. For livestock moving into Vihiga County from other regions, he said farmers must secure a No Objection Certificate from relevant authorities confirming that the originating county is safe for animal movements.

The successful containment offers lessons for other counties managing zoonotic disease outbreaks. Rapid vaccination, immediate movement controls, and coordinated response across human and animal health departments proved effective in stopping anthrax before it could spread more widely.

For farmers in Luanda and Emuhaya, the lifting of restrictions means livestock auctions and meat sales can resume. Restoring a vital source of household income that had been frozen for two months. But officials caution that anthrax remains present in the soil, and vigilance must continue. Farmers who spot sudden animal deaths are still expected to report immediately rather than butchering or consuming the carcass. A cultural practice that has triggered multiple anthrax outbreaks across Kenya in recent years.