makes you not want to open the mail, that's for sure.
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Antrax scare
- Thread starter dodo
- Start Date
Yeah, and I'm the lucky person who gets to sort and open the mail for the company I work for here in Houston!
get this and I quote:
"Meanwhile, a senior state department official tells CNN that a Department of Defense team, on a routine search of Soviet-era scientific research facilities in Kazakhstan, found evidence of anthrax at the facility. Some members of the team who might have been exposed to anthrax are being treated with medication. The search is part of an on-going program to help reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction in regions of the former Soviet Union.
In Englewood, Colorado, four postal workers were
taken to Swedish Medical Center after being exposed to powder that fell from a package at the Parker Post Office, 20 miles south of Denver, a hospital spokeswoman said. The workers entered the
hospital's emergency room, where they were being
tested for possible exposure to anthrax, the spokeswoman said. As a precaution, the hospital and the post office were sealed at 10:25 a.m. (12:25 p.m. EDT), she added.
In New York, Mayor Rudy Giuliani announced at a joint news conference with NBC executives that The New York Times also had received a suspicious envelope, and that investigators were testing its powdery contents. "
Wow wee and I was going to pick up my mail today -
I think I'll wait.
"Meanwhile, a senior state department official tells CNN that a Department of Defense team, on a routine search of Soviet-era scientific research facilities in Kazakhstan, found evidence of anthrax at the facility. Some members of the team who might have been exposed to anthrax are being treated with medication. The search is part of an on-going program to help reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction in regions of the former Soviet Union.
In Englewood, Colorado, four postal workers were
taken to Swedish Medical Center after being exposed to powder that fell from a package at the Parker Post Office, 20 miles south of Denver, a hospital spokeswoman said. The workers entered the
hospital's emergency room, where they were being
tested for possible exposure to anthrax, the spokeswoman said. As a precaution, the hospital and the post office were sealed at 10:25 a.m. (12:25 p.m. EDT), she added.
In New York, Mayor Rudy Giuliani announced at a joint news conference with NBC executives that The New York Times also had received a suspicious envelope, and that investigators were testing its powdery contents. "
Wow wee and I was going to pick up my mail today -
I think I'll wait.
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and are downplaying this to prevent major widespread panic.
In another incident, a white powder bomb was activated in a bank in Florida on Thursday, spokesman Richard Boucher said during a news briefing. Several customers became ill and were rushed to the hospital then released. He said the FBI and CDC hazardous materials squads had been called. Another State Department official said the area had been secured and an evacuation had been performed.
In New York, Mayor Rudy Giuliani announced at a joint news conference with NBC executives that The New York Times also had received a suspicious envelope, and that investigators were testing its powdery contents.
Barry Mawn, head of the New York office of the FBI, said investigators had no evidence the anthrax infection was related to the September 11 terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center towers.
"We see no connection whatsoever to 9-11. The way we will handle this is to open it as a separate matter and proceed from there," he said.
The NBC employee, a woman, is in good condition and expected to recover, NBC executives said. Giuliani said she had a low-grade fever and a bad rash.
The woman, who was not identified beyond her affiliation with "Nightly News" anchored by Tom Brokaw, received an envelope September 25 containing a white powder that tested negative for anthrax. She later tested positive -- the results just became known Friday -- but has been taking antibiotics since October 1.
"She is in good health and good care," Lack told a news conference.
Giuliani said, "We don't have any additional numbers of people reporting symptoms. The chances that this is contained are very good."
The employee was put on an antibiotic regimen as a prophylaxis on October 1, Giuliani said. The positive results became known Friday morning.
"All employees who may have been exposed will be tested," Giuliani said. "And some of those people will be given antibiotics."
Investigators will conduct environmental tests on several areas of the NBC building, he said.
Giuliani said the city was reacting to the incident with "an excess of caution." "Everybody wants to go to the extra lengths to make sure there are no problems," he said.
Police closed 43rd Street between Eighth Avenue and Broadway -- in the heart of the usually congested theater district where the Times building is located -- to vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
NBC's Wright said the employee received a letter with a suspicious powder and reported it to authorities. The powder, he said, tested negative for anthrax.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the FBI, and the New York City Health Department are investigating.
In Washington, an administration official told CNN that President Bush was informed of the latest anthrax case before leaving for an appearance at a March of Dimes event.
A government source told CNN the source of the bacteria was "undetermined" and that state and local public health officials have been in contact with federal health and law enforcement authorities.
Cutaneous anthrax is not as serious as inhalation anthrax, which brings bacteria spores directly into the lungs.
Executives said NBC had tightened security and was in the process of setting up an information center for employees. ABC and CBS officials told CNN they had received no anthrax threats. However, CBS has closed off its mailroom at its New York headquarters, according to CBS spokeswoman Sandy Genelius, who added, "We are no longer taking in any new mail."
In another incident, a white powder bomb was activated in a bank in Florida on Thursday, spokesman Richard Boucher said during a news briefing. Several customers became ill and were rushed to the hospital then released. He said the FBI and CDC hazardous materials squads had been called. Another State Department official said the area had been secured and an evacuation had been performed.
In New York, Mayor Rudy Giuliani announced at a joint news conference with NBC executives that The New York Times also had received a suspicious envelope, and that investigators were testing its powdery contents.
Barry Mawn, head of the New York office of the FBI, said investigators had no evidence the anthrax infection was related to the September 11 terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center towers.
"We see no connection whatsoever to 9-11. The way we will handle this is to open it as a separate matter and proceed from there," he said.
The NBC employee, a woman, is in good condition and expected to recover, NBC executives said. Giuliani said she had a low-grade fever and a bad rash.
The woman, who was not identified beyond her affiliation with "Nightly News" anchored by Tom Brokaw, received an envelope September 25 containing a white powder that tested negative for anthrax. She later tested positive -- the results just became known Friday -- but has been taking antibiotics since October 1.
"She is in good health and good care," Lack told a news conference.
Giuliani said, "We don't have any additional numbers of people reporting symptoms. The chances that this is contained are very good."
The employee was put on an antibiotic regimen as a prophylaxis on October 1, Giuliani said. The positive results became known Friday morning.
"All employees who may have been exposed will be tested," Giuliani said. "And some of those people will be given antibiotics."
Investigators will conduct environmental tests on several areas of the NBC building, he said.
Giuliani said the city was reacting to the incident with "an excess of caution." "Everybody wants to go to the extra lengths to make sure there are no problems," he said.
Police closed 43rd Street between Eighth Avenue and Broadway -- in the heart of the usually congested theater district where the Times building is located -- to vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
NBC's Wright said the employee received a letter with a suspicious powder and reported it to authorities. The powder, he said, tested negative for anthrax.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the FBI, and the New York City Health Department are investigating.
In Washington, an administration official told CNN that President Bush was informed of the latest anthrax case before leaving for an appearance at a March of Dimes event.
A government source told CNN the source of the bacteria was "undetermined" and that state and local public health officials have been in contact with federal health and law enforcement authorities.
Cutaneous anthrax is not as serious as inhalation anthrax, which brings bacteria spores directly into the lungs.
Executives said NBC had tightened security and was in the process of setting up an information center for employees. ABC and CBS officials told CNN they had received no anthrax threats. However, CBS has closed off its mailroom at its New York headquarters, according to CBS spokeswoman Sandy Genelius, who added, "We are no longer taking in any new mail."
As you probably all have heard by now, another person within the media has contracted the anthrax, but this was found on her skin. (It's, kind of strange that this has appeared in individuals that are associated within the media) If some of you haven't heard the news, the Senator of Tennessee who happens to be a doctor stated that the military are not the only people that are going to assisted in the event of an anthrax case arises. The government has over two million ready made vaccines/antidotes/whatever available and will make more if the need arose. He also said that it was his belief that this is definitely the work of a terrorist. As far as a terrorist act...I have no idea, we have had some of the weirdest people in our own Country do the most insane and hurtful things. I wouldn't discount the fact that it is one of our own citizens taking advantage of the situation at hand. I know that sounds terrible, but we all have seen the unimaginable.
By the way, the Center for Disease Control said it was possible the NBC employee was contaminated by something other than the envelope. NBC News reported that the envelope also contained a ''threatening'' letter.
They didn't report as to what the letter said...at least not yet anyway...
By the way, the Center for Disease Control said it was possible the NBC employee was contaminated by something other than the envelope. NBC News reported that the envelope also contained a ''threatening'' letter.
They didn't report as to what the letter said...at least not yet anyway...
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This one in Reno Nevada now......yikes!
On local news here, they are saying that one of these anthrax envelopes originated and was postmarked in St. Petersburg, FL.
Man, this state just can't get out of the news since the damn presidential election.
First, we're training terrorist pilots and now this.
Man, this state just can't get out of the news since the damn presidential election.
First, we're training terrorist pilots and now this.
It's a terrorist attack whether it's one PO'ed Caucasian-American mad at the media or if it's associated with the Sept 11 attacks. At any rate, I've not heard of any incidences oher than the two (in Fla. and at NBC) so I was shocked when I came to this thrad and read of more incidences. Have these others been confirmed?
The man who died in Florida was in his 60's. He was near-sighted and had to bring the letter close to his face to read it, from what I understand.
I have a question: Is Anthrax like, say, Chicken Pox in that you gain a degree of immunity if you get over an infection, or can you be infected again and again?
The man who died in Florida was in his 60's. He was near-sighted and had to bring the letter close to his face to read it, from what I understand.
I have a question: Is Anthrax like, say, Chicken Pox in that you gain a degree of immunity if you get over an infection, or can you be infected again and again?
Good question...I haven't read but one article on it it was quite informative and mentioned something to that affect...however; there was so much symantics...to be quite honest, it was difficult to follow at best.
http://www.os.dhhs.gov/progorg/asl/t.../t000413d.html
Considering this has a spore surrounding the bacteria and the bacteria lives for months, I would think that without a continued vaccine, one could get be infected again.
http://www.os.dhhs.gov/progorg/asl/t.../t000413d.html
Considering this has a spore surrounding the bacteria and the bacteria lives for months, I would think that without a continued vaccine, one could get be infected again.
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This is what I know. Anthrax is not contagious unless you come up against the spores, if it gets in through a skin lesion, it is the less severe strain of the disease. The inhaled type is the most severe and deadly. The bomb in the bank, a hoax- it was talcum powder, the report in Reno, tested negative. The NBC strain is not a hoax, the letter was addressed to Tom Brokaw and opened by his aide. NBC has shut down the building- Rosie O Donnell stopped production on her show for a week, Drew Barrymore left SNL where they were taping and went home. The florida strain not a hoax either. The symptoms mimic the flu, but the lungs become infected with the spores and that is the problem.
I'm ust curious if your body gains a degree of immunity after low-grade exposure. But I haven't found anything on this.
Here's a great article I found that has a lot of info:
http://www.msnbc.com/news/638169.asp?0cb=-11624124
Here's a great article I found that has a lot of info:
http://www.msnbc.com/news/638169.asp?0cb=-11624124
