CBRN event in Thailand on Thu 24th April 2025

Anthrax is a serious, life-threatening infection caused by spores of the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Known for its links to bioterrorism, the spores can lie dormant in soil for decades before infecting humans through cuts or contact with animals. A 53-year-old victim, from Mukdahan near the Laos border, died after developing a dark lesion on his hand days after slaughtering a cow on April 24. By April 27, his lymph nodes had swollen and he suffered dizziness and seizures. He sought treatment at Don Tan Hospital but died on April 30, just three days after first getting help, local media reports say. Lab tests confirmed anthrax infection. This is Thailand’s first anthrax death in 25 years. The dead man had been exposed after a cow was slaughtered during a religious ceremony, according to early investigations.