Human anthrax outbreak and associated factors in the horrific siege of Tigray, Ethiopia

•A total of 149 human anthrax cases were identified, with an attack rate of 42.3 per 100,000.•High fatality rate indicates the absence of treatment during the horrific siege.•The epidemic curve demonstrated an outbreak of continuous common source type.•Proper disposal practices have been found to be protective against human anthrax.•The main risk factors associated with the human anthrax outbreak were identified.