By Yemris Fointuna

A five-year-old boy, identified as Selsius Tanesi, died and dozens of others have fallen ill after consuming meat from a dead cow in South Timor Tengah in East Nusa Tenggara.

Authorities have yet to conclude the cause of the sickness, saying that anthrax bacterium was one of the possibilities.

Most of the victims, totaling 161 people in all, have complained of headache, dizziness, and diarrheoa-like symptoms. The victims were not aware that the meat they ate came from a dead cow.

Elisama Boru, head of the local husbandry agency, said Tuesday that the administration had formed a special task force to handle the incident.

Orpa Kase, Selsius' grandfather, said that his grandson was given a piece of the meat by his neighbours.

"A few hours later he had a fever. He also vomited and had loose, watery stool. He died on Monday," he said.