Anthrax outbreak confirmed in Ha Monyollo community
Written by Mohale FM on October 17, 2025
Health authorities have confirmed anthrax as the cause of the illness that affected several people in the Ha Monyollo community over the weekend.
This was revealed by Paray Hospital Public Relations Officer, Vuyani Dlakavu. He said stool samples collected from patients were sent to the National Referral Laboratory, which confirmed the presence of anthrax.
Mr Dlakavu said the hospital received eight referrals from St. Theresa Mashai Health Centre on Wednesday — four boys and four adult men.
The Principal of St. Theresa Primary School, Tankiso Binyane, confirmed that one of the affected children is a Grade 7 learner who fell ill just as the final examinations began on Monday.
Mr Binyane said the school immediately began checking learners to determine who had eaten the suspected contaminated meat. Several pupils were treated at St. Theresa Clinic, while four critically ill children were transferred to Paray Hospital.
He added that among the four boys, two are siblings — one in Grade 3 and another in Grade 1 — while the other two are in Grades 2 and 7 respectively.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that a six-year-old boy from the same community died on Tuesday night, with relatives saying he had bleeding in his stool before his passing. The family is reportedly seeking assistance to raise funds for his burial.
Health officials are urging the public to avoid consuming meat from animals that die under unknown circumstances and to report suspected cases to the nearest veterinary or health authorities immediately.
