Thailand govt urges calm after first anthrax death in decades
Image from The Nation Thailand/ANN
BANGKOK (AFP): Thailand's health ministry urged calm on Friday after the kingdom reported its first anthrax death in more than three decades, with a second infection already confirmed.
Anthrax -- which spreads through bacteria in soil -- commonly infects grazing livestock and wild animals but can kill humans with symptoms including skin lesions, blisters and swollen lymph nodes.
Health officials warned Thais against eating raw meat, a staple in the country's northeast, following the death of a 53-year-old man who reportedly handled a dead cow in Mukdahan province near the border with Laos.
A second 53-year-old man, also with a history of contact with cattle, has tested positive and been hospitalised in the same region.
Meanwhile 638 people in "risk groups", including a butcher and those who consumed raw beef, are being monitored and given antibiotics.
Weerawat Manosuthi, a spokesman for the health ministry's disease control department, said the victim who died on Wednesday had underlying health issues.
"The man touched the cow without proper protection," he told reporters in Bangkok.
"Two days later, he developed symptoms and sought medical care."
It was Thailand's first anthrax fatality since 1994, when three people died, and comes as infections rise in the region.
In neighbouring Laos 129 people were infected last year, with a single fatality.
Thai authorities plan to vaccinate more than 1,200 cattle in the infection area where the animals are experiencing a spate of illness and unexplained deaths, Weerawat said.
Raw beef dishes are a trademark of Thailand's northeast region, known as "Isaan", with meals often including uncooked meat mixed with chilli, red onions and coriander.
Thailand saw its last reported anthrax cases with two infections in 2017. In 2000, 15 people were also infected although no deaths were recorded. - AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sinar Daily
6 hours ago
- Sinar Daily
Social media fuelling 'devastating' kids' mental health crisis
One in seven children and adolescents aged between 10 and 19 suffered mental health issues, with the global suicide rate at six per 100,000 for those aged 15-19. 11 Jun 2025 08:30pm The report said what it termed "problematic" social media use was on the rise, with a direct link between heavy internet use and suicide attempts. - AFP photo/Photo for illustration purpose only AMSTERDAM - The "unchecked expansion" of social media platforms is driving an unprecedented global mental health crisis in kids and teens, a children's NGO said Wednesday, calling for urgent coordinated action worldwide. The KidsRights report said one in seven children and adolescents aged between 10 and 19 suffered mental health issues, with the global suicide rate at six per 100,000 for those aged 15-19. Australia passed a law to ban social media use for under-16s. - Photo illustrated by Sinar Daily Even these high rates represent "the tip of the iceberg" as suicide is widely under-reported due to stigma, according to the Amsterdam-based group. "This year's report is a wake-up call that we cannot ignore any longer" said Marc Dullaert, KidsRights chairman. "The mental health... crisis among our children has reached a tipping point, exacerbated by the unchecked expansion of social media platforms that prioritise engagement over child safety," he added. The report said what it termed "problematic" social media use was on the rise, with a direct link between heavy internet use and suicide attempts. However, blanket bans are not the answer, the group warned. Australia passed a law to ban social media use for under-16s. "Such blanket bans may infringe on children's civil and political rights," including access to information, said the report. The group urged "comprehensive child rights impact assessments" at a global level for social media platforms, better education for kids, and improved training for mental health professionals. The report seized on the popularity of Netflix sensation "Adolescence", which highlighted some of the toxic content kids view online. The mini-series "demonstrated global awareness of these issues, but awareness alone is insufficient," said Dullaert. "We need concrete action to ensure that the digital revolution serves to enhance, not endanger, the wellbeing of the world's 2.2 billion children," he said. "The time for half-measures is over." - AFP More Like This
The Sun
13 hours ago
- The Sun
Gaza rescuers say Israel fire near aid centre kills 31
GAZA CITY: The Gaza civil defence agency said Israeli forces opened fire on people waiting to enter a US-backed food distribution centre on Wednesday, killing 31 and wounding 'about 200'. 'We transported at least 31 martyrs and about 200 wounded as a result of Israeli tank and drone fire on thousands of citizens... on their way to receive food from the American aid centre,' civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP. The Israeli army did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. Restrictions imposed on media in the Gaza Strip and the difficulties of access on the ground mean AFP is not able to independently verify the death tolls announced by the civil defence agency. Bassal said thousands of Palestinians had been gathering since 2 am (2300 GMT Tuesday) in the hope of reaching the US and Israeli-backed food distribution centre. 'Israeli tanks fired several times, then at around 5:30 am intensified their fire, coinciding with heavy fire from drones targeting civilians,' he said. There have been a series of deadly shootings since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) first opened aid distribution points in the Palestinian territory on May 27, as Israel faced mounting international condemnation over the humanitarian conditions.
The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
Bangladesh issues travel warnings as Covid-19 infections rise in neighbouring countries
A security personnel stands guard at the entrance of an isolation ward prepared for patients with Covid-19 symptoms at a government hospital in Secunderabad, Telangana on May 24, 2025. A Bangladesh directive stated that new subvariants of the coronavirus are spreading in several neighbouring countries. - AFP DHAKA: Amid a fresh rise in Covid-19 infections in several neighbouring countries, the Bangladeshi interim government has asked people to refrain from traveling to those destinations unless absolutely necessary. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the Ministry of Health has also instructed the relevant authorities to enhance health screening and surveillance measures at all ports to contain the spread of the infection. The directives which were issued Monday (June 10) stated that new subvariants of the coronavirus are spreading in several neighbouring countries. To prevent potential transmission of these variants into Bangladesh, it said surveillance must be strengthened at International Health Regulations desks at all land, sea and airports for both inbound travelers from affected countries, and outbound travelers from Bangladesh to those destinations. In line with the directives, people must wear masks at all gatherings, shopping malls and restaurants. The DGHS asked the relevant authorities to use thermal scanners or digital handheld thermometers with non-contact techniques to measure body temperature at all entry points, ensure an adequate stock of masks, gloves and personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, and disseminate infection prevention guidelines to raise public awareness and prevent virus transmission. Bangladesh on Thursday recorded its first Covid-19 fatality this year when a man died from the infectious disease in capital Dhaka. - Xinhua
