Kenyan authorities claim to have foiled potential bio-terror attack

Kenya's police chief claims that an attack by an ISIS-linked group has been foiled. The group (which has not been named) was said to have been planning a large-scale bio-terrorist attack using anthrax. ISIS has been attempting to gain power in Kenya, and a bio-terrorist attack would have given them a large amount of power in the region. Although not yet independently verified, police claim to have arrested three people, one of whom is a medical student. Police are still looking for two other medical interns that they believe are involved.

Anthrax is a bacteria which can infect people in multiple different ways. Inhalation anthrax, the most deadly type, has a mortality rate of about 50% even when properly and quickly treated. When untreated, the mortality rate is much higher. It leads to respiratory collapse and organ failure (Anthrax Bioterrorism and Current Vaccines, S. Chen, Journal of Bioterrorism & Biodefense).

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/04/africa/kenya-foiled-terror-attack/

--Melissa Widel