Authorities in Zambia have warned people not to eat meat from wildlife after dozens of wild animals, including hippos, elephants, buffalo and a crocodile died following an anthrax outbreak. A disaster management agency official said over the weekend that 12 people had been infected with the disease after consuming dead wildlife in the Munyamadzi River area. The official urged the public not to consume meat from animals that die naturally or from unknown causes, while urging the public to report any such cases. Authorities have also called for hunting in the affected area to be suspended until the extent of the disease and associated risks are established. Officials have not yet ascertained the full geographical extent of the latest outbreak, with surveillance and laboratory investigations ongoing.炭疽在赞比亚呈地方性流行，但人类死亡病例并不常见。2023年，该国经历了被描述为“前所未有的疫情暴发”，导致四人死亡，并蔓延至全国十个省份中的九个。

另一次大规模疫情暴发于2011年，当时有500多例病例，五人因食用受感染河马的肉而死亡。

在穆钦加省穆尼亚马齐野生动物管理区的最新疫情中，赞比亚灾害管理与减灾小组表示，自7月以来，已有46头河马、8头大象、5头水牛和1条鳄鱼死亡。

该小组的国家协调员诺曼·奇帕库帕库说：“这些野生动物死亡的悲惨之处在于，尸体最终被当地人吃掉——那是他们赖以生存的食物。”目前尚无人类死亡报告，12名感染者正在接受治疗。

炭疽由一种名为炭疽芽孢杆菌的细菌引起，这种细菌主要以孢子的形式存活，在土壤中潜伏多年，之后通过吸入或伤口进入动物体内。

它主要感染放牧动物，并可能导致猝死。它可通过接触受污染的动物制品由动物传染给人类。

赞比亚人被敦促不要食用、出售、分销或处理来自突然死亡或疑似炭疽动物的肉类。公众也被建议不要接触野生动物。