Thailand has issued nationwide health alerts after confirmed outbreaks of anthrax and Streptococcus suis, a bacterial infection locally known as “deafness fever”, from eating or handling raw pork. Public health authorities in the Mukdahan province have identified three confirmed anthrax cases so far, Pattaya Mail reported. While one of the patients has since died, the other two are being treated in local hospitals. Surveillance has been ramped up across the region and 636 people traced as having had contact with the infected persons, the media outlet reported. Of those, 538 have completed a mandatory week of monitoring for symptoms affecting the skin and the gastrointestinal tract. The remaining 98 people remain under observation and are receiving a preventative course of Doxycycline. Anthrax, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, is typically contracted by contact with infected animals or contaminated soil. It does not spread between people. The resilient spores of the bacterium can persist in the environment for decades. Health officials have urged the public to consume only cooked beef and avoid having raw or undercooked meat.

Full report : Thailand has issued a national health alert after outbreak confirmed outbreaks of anthrax and Streptococcus suis linked to raw pork.