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An outbreak of brucellosis in Lanzhou, a city in northern China, has already affected more than 3,000 people, Chinese officials said. The outbreak originated in a vaccine factory where an outdated disinfectant caused contamination of an exhaust fan last year, according to the official explanation.
Brucellosis is an infectious bacterial disease that is transmitted from animals to humans, either through dairy products (for example, unpasteurized milk) or through direct contact with animals (cows, sheep, pigs, and others) and their fluids. . It causes symptoms such as fever, headaches, muscle aches, weakness, and sweating, which can easily be confused with those of other illnesses.
With a relatively low death rate, brucellosis can become chronic if left untreated, which is done with antibiotics, or even sometimes fatal.
In the case of the factory in Lanzhou, the contaminated gases are said to have been blown away by a nearby veterinary research institute, where students and teachers began to appear infected late last year.
According to the National Health Commission, eleven local hospitals have provided free tests and treatments, and specialists have been made available to try to explain the disease and calm the public.
With the tests already carried out on 22 thousand people, 3,245 gave a positive result. The factory has been closed and compensation will begin to be paid, Sky News reports.
