UK woman injects herself with anthrax-contaminated heroin, dies

A 42-year-old woman in Britain died after injecting herself with heroin contaminated with anthrax earlier this month. An inquest has been opened after Claire Skelton, 42, from Kent died at King's College Hospital in London Dec 9. The cause of her death was given as anthrax and intravenous drug abuse, Daily Mail reported.

Her death is the third in Britain linked to an outbreak of anthrax among drug users believed to have used contaminated heroin.

According to the Health Protection Agency, 13 cases of anthrax among people who inject drugs have been reported in several European countries since June. Six of the cases have occurred in Britain, including four in England, one in Scotland and one in Wales.