Pentagon Samples Test Positive for Anthrax

Washington Post ^

[Helmholtz]

By Jamie Stockwell, Allan Lengel and Fred Barbash Washington Post Staff Writers Tuesday, March 15, 2005; 11:49 AM

Samples taken at a Pentagon mail facility have tested positive for anthrax, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services reported today, but officials do not yet know if the anthrax bacteria were live and thus capable of transmitting disease

[Wiz]

Positive Initial Detection for Anthrax at Pentagon
By John D. Banusiewicz
American Forces Press Service


(Highlight of the article)

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2005 – Defense Department officials confirmed that a positive test for the presence of anthrax bacteria during routine mail operations today led to the evacuation of a Pentagon outbuilding. However, officials stressed, subsequent tests have been negative.

The Pentagon issued a statement saying the department is taking precautionary measures while conducting further testing of the Remote Delivery Facility, where the Pentagon’s mail is delivered.

[Musket]

I guess the bright side is if they're still active maybe they'll screw up and we'll catch 'em.

[spyone]

This is yesterday's release. Subsequent tests have come back positive.

[Shermy]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050315/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/pentagon_anthrax_9

".... At the Pentagon, officials on Tuesday corrected inaccurate information about when mailroom sensors were triggered over the possible presence of anthrax.

Spokesman Glenn Flood said the mail that tested positive for anthrax passed through the Pentagon's mail handling facility on Thursday, not Monday, as he previously said. The test results on the mail did not come back until Monday.

Anthrax was confirmed in two items of mail at the two military mail facilities. The Pentagon's mail delivery site, which is separate from the main Pentagon building, was evacuated and shut down Monday remained closed, along with a nearby satellite facility in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Officials disclosed no information about the origins of the two pieces of mail.

[TheBattman]

OK - what is it? First reports I heard were positive for Anthrax. Then subsequent test was negative. Now is it back positive again???

[spyone]

Yes. Positive.

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

PING

[Wiz]

What? Back to positive? That's news.

[spyone]

Yes, and see post 24. It was originally discovered last Thursday, not yesterday.

[theFIRMbss]

>OK - what is it? First reports I heard were positive for Anthrax. Then subsequent test was negative. Now is it back positive again?

Conflicting reports
like this lead me to believe
something's going on . . .

[JustPiper]

per FNC right now

Closed V St. main Pentagon PO, offering Cipro to all PO employee's and the results for the "Secondary testing" not back yet

[theFIRMbss]

>per FNC right now / Closed V St. main Pentagon PO, offering Cipro to all PO employee's

And Drudge has nothing!
This story is strange. Maybe
it's worse than we think . . .

[Shermy]

Do you know whether "irradiation" of germs makes the detection of germs more difficult? Maybe that's why we get seemingly different stories?

[El Gato]

Story has been updated on WaPo, confirming that overnight tests show positive. Also story on Fox with similar information.

[SeaBiscuit]

"This story is strange. Maybe it's worse than we think . . ."

It does seem strange..you would think it would be all over the major networks..

[Shermy]

Interesting. I don't understand it, but interesting.

;-)

[Shermy]

I've never quite understood the discussion you've had with other knowledgable people on the board about this, but simply, isn't the "Ames strain" used in the attacks got nothing to do with Ames, Iowa. That the strain got that name by some mistake?