Anthrax Scare in Elk County, PA

Anthrax scare at Freeper Hometown Post Office, Rural PA ^ | 23 October 2001 | wtaj tv10 Newsgeek

[Petronski]

ELK COUNTY ANTHRAX SCARE A anthrax scare, in Elk County, PA. A postal worker in Saint Mary's has developed a skin lesion on his arm. He's been treated with the antibiotic Cipro and is waiting for blood tests, but preliminary tests show no signs of anthrax. Postmaster Mike Barker said if the worker tests positive, they will have all employees checked and the building will be quarintined.

[Reborn]

Me too.

[Petronski]

The local postmaster stated on television: "If the test comes back positive the rest of the employees will have to look into maybe getting treatment or checked out."

Now, I'm paraphrasing but that's the gist of it. Yikes, that's really understating it, and I hope he's not in charge. I know the doctor will call CDC if it's positive, but will it be left up to this postmaster to call FBI?

[Tarheel]

....full (2 month) period leaves enough in blood stream to help create cipro-safe viruses, thus creating the potential for new, deadly strains of viruses which could then infect other people with no antibiotic viable to crush......

Cipro is an antibiotic and works on BACTERIAL based infections. Anthrax is a BACTERIAL infection, therefore, cipro as well as several other antibiotics work well when appropriately administered. Antibiotics do not work against viral illnesses. There are a few anti-viral medications, but I am not about to go down that road with you--you have confused your facts sufficiently, on your own, in regards to this matter.

The Tarheel

[MadelineZapeezda]

If you knew anything about St. Marys and Elk County you would wonder incredulously as I do: Here!?!

Know exactly......used to visit relatives in Ridgeway.

[xsmommy]

where is elks county? eastern or mid-PA? i am originally from western PA.

[Petronski]

Elk County is in the Northwest portion of the state, but almost in the Northcentral. Bradford is to our north, and Dubois is directly south. We have no interstate highways or airport (though there is an airstrip calling itself an airport).

[xsmommy]

aha...yeah, you are timbuktu, this is scary....

[Petronski]

There's a map here.

I often try to convey to people just how rural we are by pointing out that in Elk County, we actually do have elk, something like 400 of them living in the wild.

[cynicom]

Petronski.. Use to live in that area years ago...

[snorkeler]

btt for my mil

[terilyn]

BUMP

[Petronski]

I don't know of any freepers in my immediate area, but thought you might be interested in this thread.

[esther2]

Hey, Petronski, I was born in St. Marys. Dad and Mom moved us to Ohio when I was six, but I still have lots of family up there. The District Attorney is a cousin of mine. I was just there last weekend visiting my grandfather at the nursing home next to the hospital. I was just thinking that everybody up there was probably safe. I hope I was right, and that this is a false alarm. Very beautiful up there.

[Hamiltonian]

Wonder if Straub's will kill them bugs............

[Petronski]

Wonder if Straub's will kill them bugs............

No, but sometimes in the morning it feels that way. It's on tap in my basement. When the nukes start flying I'm driving to the brewery for a half. :)

[Petronski]

I went to law school with the D.A. I'll be voting for his reelection in a couple weeks, too.

[tamu]

thanks for the thread! i am in university park, not too far away.

[okie01]

"I wonder if anyone is actually reading this thread..."

As one who became quite fond of Elk County and the Clarion River last September, be assured I am following it closely.

But you're the only guy who has anything to say. So, we're all listening...

[Bosco]

Elk County, PA - home of Zippo Lighters, Straub Beer, and Oakland Raiders' Dan Conners.

[Elenya]

Keep us posted.