ISLAMABAD, Oct 24: Coordination Committee of Anthrax Crisis Centres (CCACCs) has provided standard operating procedure (SOP) to all the embassies in Islamabad and Foreign Office on how to respond if a case of anthrax is reported.

District Health Officer and coordinator of the committee, Dr Zafar Lodhi told Dawn on Wednesday, that all the embassies and FO have been provided a list of telephone numbers of senior officials such as deputy commissioner Islamabad, district health officer, officials of National Institute of Health (NIH), Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and police to contact in any emergency.

The SOP advised the staff of the embassies and the people at large that if someone receives an envelope containing anthrax bacteria, he/she should not panic, wash his hands first, confine him/herself in a room, call on the numbers given in the SOP and not leave until medical help is made available.

“Though anthrax is a curable disease, its bacteria can spread within a diameter of 5 km”, the district health officer said.

Giving details about the functioning of the ACCs and their coordination committee, the official said the NIH as a member of the committee will collect samples of suspects and send its report to the local hospitals.

PIMS will provide isolated rooms to admit the victims of the disease and conduct tests and keep them under observation.

Similarly, police will make arrangements to maintain law and order in case of panic and tension in case of spreading of the disease.

The CCACCs will arrange a presentation and invite representatives of United Nations and all the embassies to further brief them on precautionary measures and cure of the deadly bacterial disease.