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CNN Live Saturday

NBC Employees in New York Being Tested for Anthrax

Aired October 13, 2001 - 15:30   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: More NBC employees in New York are being tested today for anthrax. Authorities now say that they know more about the staff member who tested positive for a form of that disease. CNN's Maria Hinojosa checks in from New York with us. She's got the latest. Hello, Maria.

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon. When New Yorkers found out that anthrax had arrived in New York City and that an NBC News employee headquartered here at the Rockefeller Center had become infected, there was almost a collective shiver going up people's spines. What added to their concern was that no one knew how she had become infected. That question was at least answered earlier today. She became infected not from a letter that it contained not a powdery white substance, but rather a brown granular substance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR RUDY GIULIANI, NEW YORK CITY: Postmarked it appears to be the 18th of September. That was sent to Tom Brokaw. That letter was tested last night, and it turns out to be positive to anthrax, or at least traces of anthrax. So, the letter itself when tested -- although there's no powder left, appears to have had -- appears to have contained anthrax.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HINOJOSA: Now, the letter arrived here at NBC News postmarked from Trenton, New Jersey, about 70 miles -- 75 miles away from New York City. It had no return address. It was in a white envelope, and the letter was a threatening letter. And apparently, that letter was filed away with other threatening letters and kept here at NBC News headquartered from the date that it arrived until when it was tested just later yesterday at some point.

Now, the infected employee is responding well to antibiotics, is expected to fully recover. Now, regarding a letter that arrived at "The New York Times" yesterday postmarked from St. Petersburg that did contain a white powdery substance, that substance has tested negative for anthrax. About 30 employees, including "The New York Times" reporter that received the letter, had been tested for anthrax and had been put on antibiotics protectively.

Here at NBC News, at least 358 employees have been tested for anthrax. At least 200 of those have been given antibiotics, including the anchor Tom Brokaw -- Leon.

HARRIS: Maria Hinojosa in New York, thank you very much, Maria.

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