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CNN Live Event/Special

Anthrax: Investigators Tracking Origin of Anthrax in Governor Pataki's Offices

Aired October 18, 2001 - 06:20   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: Now the latest on anthrax in the U.S. More spores have turned up, this time in the offices of New York's Governor George Pataki.

CNN's Jason Carroll checks in live this morning. He's got the latest for us from New York.

Morning, Jason.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good early morning to you, Leon.

Governor Pataki's office takes up two floors here in midtown Manhattan. Both are temporarily closed in the wake of this investigation.

Everything that happened here actually began on Monday, that's when the governor's office ordered an environmental check because of everything that had been going on. One test indicated the probability of anthrax in one of their offices. That office located in a secure area used by the state security police detail. Investigators are trying to find the source of the anthrax, but they say that it's possible -- at least this is according to the governor -- he says that it's possible that one of the state investigators may have brought it there from another infected site.

Now despite everything that has been going on, the governor says that he will not let fear get the better of him. He was a guest last night on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE PATAKI, GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK: Since September 11, all Americans have a heightened sense of our vulnerability, and we have to take common sense steps to increase our security and to make sure that we exercise a little more caution in our daily lives. But we can't allow these proponents of fear and terror to take away our confidence and to prevent us from going around our ordinary day's work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: The governor and his staff are taking the antibiotic Cipro just as a precaution. So far, no one in his office has tested positive for anthrax and his office is expected to reopen on Monday -- Leon.

HARRIS: Jason, any other extra precautions being taken by the other tenants in that building?

CARROLL: Well, you know we're going to have to check on that, Leon. But you can only imagine because of everything that's been going on here in the city, first we had NBC, then we had ABC and now we have the governor's office, so you can imagine there are probably going to be a lot of nervous people who are going to be showing up for work today at the governor's office.

HARRIS: No doubt, and that's the kind of thing that we're trying to avoid here.

Jason Carroll, reporting live from New York, thanks much. We'll talk with you later on.

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