WorldUpdated 3h ago
The 2001 anthrax mail attacks caused 22 cases and five deaths.
A quarter-century after anthrax spores were mailed in the United States, records from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) count 22 cases and five deaths during the public-health response from Sept. 18 to Oct. 31, 2001. The New York Times reported on Nov. 11, 2026, that the letters exposed flaws in U.S. biosecurity systems and that experts believe some issues persist. On Nov. 13, Sky News Arabia reported expert warnings that the United States still faces biological threats. The Saudi Press Agency covered a U.S. biodefense strategy announcement in 2018, around the attacks’ 17th anniversary; the Government Accountability Office (GAO) notes that the White House updated the National Biodefense Strategy in October 2022. In a March 2023 review, GAO said agencies had developed plans and conducted interagency exercises, but did not routinely work together to monitor exercise results for potential problems.
Coverage started November 11