(KPL) Five people died and 70 people became sick in Huaykheung village, Ngoy district of Luang Prabang Province, after consuming the meat of a wild boar.
The tragedy had its origins in a hunting party made up of the residents of this village and while they were tracking and searching for live animals they found a dead wild boar. The hunters carried the dead animal to their village and apportioned the meat among the hunters. Their family members cooked and ate the meat. Sooner or later, on 4 August, the diners suffered symptoms like vomiting, splitting headaches and diarrhea and they seeked treatment from the local dispensary.

Mr Siphanh Thali, Epidemic Control Officer in Luang Prabang province gave confirmation on the number of dead and sick villagers from this village and declared that they were infected by the typhoid disease. He added that the wild boar was infected by this disease.


Wild boar laab

Mr Bounpheng Lathsamee, a veterinarian in Luang Prabang province, said that those who died and fell sick were local farmers who depended on farming and hunting for food. He also said the hunters thought that it was their good luck to find a dead wild boar, they regarded it as a source of food for them and they did not think of the need to check the dead carcass for infection of any kind of deadly disease.