London  - Health officials in Britain were Monday examining the death of a drum-maker who inhaled anthrax spores while handling imported animal skin.

Spanish-born Fernando Gomez, 35, died in hospital late Sunday after being taken ill a week ago.

His flat and workshop in Hackney, east London, have been sealed off by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) for examination.

Seven other people who had been in the room where the skins were prepared were given antibiotics as a precautionary measure, and the HPA said nobody else had developed any symptoms.

HPA chief adviser Nigel Lightfoot said the agency was keen to stress that all individuals who made drums from imported animal skins were at risk of coming into contact with anthrax and should ensure that they were taking the necessary precautions.

Jules Pipe, the mayor of Hackney, said, "This is an extremely rare case and this type of anthrax cannot be passed from person to person."

The last death of this kind in Britain was in 2006 when Christopher Norris, a maker of musical instruments, died after inhaling anthrax.

An official health report published in December said it was likely Norris, 50, had contracted the illness after playing or handling anthrax-contaminated West African drums at a drumming workshop. (dpa)