Posted on 10/08/2001 5:30:32 AM PDT by Maceman
Officials: Anthrax Shown in Co-Worker
| Monday, October 08, 2001 |
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BOCA RATON, Fla. — A co-worker of the man who died last week from anthrax also has tested positive for the disease and the building where both worked was closed after the bacterium was detected there.
The latest case, a man whose name was not immediately made public, was in stable condition Monday at an unidentified hospital, according to both the Florida and North Carolina health departments.
A nasal swab from the patient tested positive for the anthrax bacterium, said Tim O'Conner, regional spokesman for Florida's health department. It was not yet clear if anthrax had only infiltrated his nose, spread to his lungs or if he had a full-blown case of the disease.
The man's co-worker, Bob Stevens, died on Friday, the first person in 25 years in the United States to have died from a rare inhaled form of anthrax.
News that Stevens had contracted the disease set off fears of bio-terrorism, especially when it was revealed that Middle Eastern men were believed to have recently visited an airfield about 40 miles from Stevens' home in Lantana and asked questions about crop-dusters.
O'Conner said there is no evidence that either man was a victim of terrorism. ``That would take a turn in the investigation,'' he said. ``It's a different aspect, we were thinking more of environmental sources.''
Stevens, 63, was a photo editor at the supermarket tabloid The Sun. Environmental tests performed at the Sun's offices in Boca Raton detected the anthrax bacteria, said O'Conner.
The Sun's offices have been shuttered and law enforcement, local and state health and CDC officials were to take additional samples from the building on Monday, O'Conner said.
About 300 people who work in the building are being contacted by the Sun and instructed not come to work Monday and undergo antibiotic treatment to prevent the disease.
The FBI was helping in the search for the source of the bacterium, said Miami FBI spokeswoman Judy Orihuela. But ``the current risk of anthrax is extremely low,'' O'Conner said.
It was unclear when the final tests would tell whether or not the second man has full-blown anthrax. The bacterium normally has an incubation period of up to seven days, but could take up to 60 days to develop, O'Conner said.
``We're waiting for additional testing to see if it will become a confirmed case of anthrax or not,'' said Barbara Reynolds, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. ``I realize for the public this is going to be a very slight distinction.''
Michael Kahane, vice president and general counsel of American Media Inc., which publishes the Sun and two other tabloids, the Globe and the National Enquirer, confirmed the company closed its Boca Raton building at the request of state health officials.
``We are cooperating with the department of health and all other governmental agencies investigating this matter,'' he said Monday. ``Obviously our first concern is the health and well-being of our employees and their families.''
Only 18 inhalation cases in the United States were documented in the 20th century, the most recent in 1976 in California. State records show the last anthrax case in Florida was in 1974.
Officials believe Stevens contracted anthrax naturally in Florida. The disease can be contracted from farm animals or soil, though the bacterium is not normally found among wildlife or livestock in the state. Stevens was described as an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing and gardening.
County medical examiners are looking over any unexplained deaths, but have not found any cases connected to anthrax. Veterinarians have been told to be on alert for animals who might have the disease, but none have turned up.
Health officials are checking intensive care units of area hospitals to check records going back 30 days for suspicious cases. They should be finished Monday, said O'Conner.
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Also, as a photo editor, he was probably on the road everyday all over Florida - shooting pics. Check his itinerary to find out where he has been.
Marc Rich is not the most "ethical" person in the world. He has the money and slimy contacts to pull this off if he wanted, IMHO. He could be using the present crisis as cover. This does not discount the possibilty of a islamic terrorist attack, but all avenues and characters who may want revenge against the National Enquirer, have to considered as "suspects", IMHO.
right.......
Everyone has said Anthrax is not contagious. If that's the case, there is only one likely cause and it isn't natural…
I have found out through very reliable local sources (employee who used to work there) that a package was mailed to the Stephens guy. The anthrax was found primarily on his desk and in the mail room. It now appears someone mailed the virus to the offices. The place is now not only crawling with anthrax it is swarmed with health officials and the FBI. Will let you guys know of any more information I get.
Last night, she tells me, four new patients were admitted with vaginal bleeding, a symptom often seen in anthrax patients. This is extremely unusual.
My wife is really on edge about all this, and I'm remaining very skeptical that there is any anthrax here at all. She might be seeing anthrax boogeymen everywhere. On the other hand, this is exactly how an outbreak would be first detected.
Take it for what it's worth.
Yeah, but still if this were some how related to terrorism, why would they be targeting National Enquirer and Sun? I don't want to make any jokes because somebody died and another person could, but...weird choice of magazines.
But the first guy did have a few bad habits when it came to the outdoors and once he was infected it was bound to happen that another person would be.
I'm just wondering if he was on location for them somewhere when he got it.
Yeah, but still if this were some how related to terrorism, why would they be targeting National Enquirer and Sun? I don't want to make any jokes because somebody died and another person could, but...weird choice of magazines.
But the first guy did have a few bad habits when it came to the outdoors and once he was infected it was bound to happen that another person would be.
I'm just wondering if he was on location for them somewhere when he got it.
Anthrax is not contageous in the normal sense. You can't catch it from another person or animal that has it. Anthrax Spores, which are the infectious agent are produced only from dead victims. The body of something that has died of anthrax is extremely infectious. This could be no more than some small infected animal that got into an airconditioning vent and died. Spores in very low concentrations would be spread throughout the building.
So9
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