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American Morning
America Strikes Back: Preliminary Results Show Second Case of Anthrax; Emmys Canceled, but Football and Baseball Games Continued
Aired October 08, 2001 - 09:52 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Preliminary results show a second case of anthrax. The subject is the coworker of the man who died last week from the disease. But initial tests read positive. However, doctors are saying they need a lot more testing to determine whether anthrax is advanced.
For more on this, we turn to our medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
We don't want to push any panic buttons here.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right.
HEMMER: Again, this is a case where a man has signs and indication of anthrax, but he is not infected. Make the distinction for us.
GUPTA: Yes, and it's an important distinction, Bill. What we're talking about here specifically is a second diagnosis of anthrax being present, and in this case, specifically within the nasal cavity. Sort of what happens in situation like this, after the first case, clinical symptoms, people were screened within this company where this gentleman worked, and they found that in fact another gentleman did have anthrax only in the nasal cavities, hasn't had any symptoms yet. Another important point, because as we've learned over the past few weeks, if you actually start the antibiotics, which they have done in this case, your chance of actually preventing symptoms from ever developing is exponentially higher.
So this is a second diagnosis of anthrax, no symptoms yet, much better chance of success, and in some ways a public health sort of success here, because they're actually able to find the case before the symptoms develop.
HEMMER: So clearly, they got to him early then, when the first case, they did not.
GUPTA: That's right, and that was an important thing. That's what they were trying to do. They talked about these mass screenings, sort of programs that they were going to try and carry out, and certainly here in this case, they found somebody, and hopefully can treat that person. HEMMER: I want to stay away from speculation, but that building where Robert Stevens worked, the man who passed away last week, has been cordoned off. They're taking inspectors through to try to determine more and discover more. What will they look for at this time, and should the people in there be indeed concerned at all?
GUPTA: I think it's certainly fair to say that people should have their cautions sort of raised, but on the other hand, sounds like the public health official have found a single air sample over there that did contain some anthrax. So some very specific plans in place, you know, preventative plans for the most part.
But basically, people who have been in the building since August 1st should probably be tested. They are not recommending antibiotics to be given to family members or other people in contact with Mr. Stevens or this new gentleman, because, again, as we've said so many times, anthrax is not contagious; it's not something that you're going to get from one person to another person. There was some anthrax, specifically the bacteria that causes anthrax, found in building, but again, we are going to have to wait and see what that means.
HEMMER: And just to follow up on that, how would that anthrax enter a building?
GUPTA: It's a good question. I don't think we're sure yet. That's specifically what the FBI's investigating. These spores can last for a long time. These spores are very resistance to environmental changes. They could have been in the building for quite some time and now causing some difficulties, and I said this before, Bill, and I think it's worth pointing out again, that a few months ago, this isn't something that we probably would have even checked for, the bacteria.
HEMMER: Yes, that is so true.
GUPTA: And now we are checking for it, and not surprisingly, we are finding some cases. I think that it's important that we're finding these cases, but I'm not sure that this really means that something dramatically new has happened here.
HEMMER: We shall find out more throughout the day, and the week. Thank you, Sanjay.
GUPTA: Back to Paula now in New York -- Paula.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Bill
As news of the coalition strike in Afghanistan spread across America, the Emmys were canceled, but football and baseball games continued. There were tears, but as CNN's Anne Mcdermott reports, there were also a few cheers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNE MCDERMOTT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In New York, some got the word on the street and were glad. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We had to. We can't sit back on the street and look like we're wimps in the U.S. We are not. We are America, and we have to retaliate.
MCDERMOTT: In L.A., some heard while watching their kids get coiffed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we don't attack them and stop them, they're just going to keep coming and keep killing us.
MCDERMOTT: In Atlanta, Falcon fans heard in the midst of the game.
But not everyone was cheering.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, 2, 3, 4, we don't want your racist war!
MCDERMOTT: But not all those opposed were shouting. This woman, on hearing the news, could barely say anything at all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wow.
MCDERMOTT: In San Francisco, Giants fans took a break from the news, braving tightened security, to see a different display of power. And Barry Bonds obliged. That was number 73.
But eventually, reality returned and a somber group at a tailgate party was talking retaliation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now, you don't know, they could maybe come and try to bomb San Francisco or something like that, you now.
MCDERMOTT: In Hollywood, meanwhile, it was decided the show would not go on. Nobody, it seemed, had the heart for the Emmys, and it was postponed again.
LES MOONVES, CBS: Not a day to go up there and accept the best supporting actress in a comedy. It seemed like it was trivial.
MCDERMOTT: But elsewhere in Hollywood, at a farmer's market, people were going on with their lives, as if in defiance of bin Laden himself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not a violent man, but when somebody comes into my house and attacks me in my house, I'm going to strike back.
MCDERMOTT: And some went to church, and some found comfort there. And some, well, some are still trying to take it all in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just -- it's just so terrible.
MCDERMOTT: Anne McDermott, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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