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CNN Live Today

Preliminary Federal Reserve Tests Show Anthrax

Aired January 15, 2003 - 10:09   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are following this developing story out of Washington. This ricin story, there is also a postal site that is being tested for possible anthrax bacteria. A routine test turned up potential traces of anthrax at the facility which checks mail addressed to the Federal Reserve.
Our Kathleen Koch has been following the story and joins us with more on that -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, Postal Service officials are now telling us that final results on the anthrax tests conducted at that postal facility on V Street in Washington now won't be back until between 3:00 and 6:00 this afternoon, so we are going to have to wait a while to find out whether or not there was actually any anthrax contamination.

Now, since the anthrax incidents back in 2001, the Postal Service has irradiated all mail that was bound to the federal government, destined for the federal government here in Washington, D.C. But what happened is this preliminary positive came from other tests, separate tests, that were conducted by the Federal Reserve at two trailers that are located here in Washington near its main facility.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS DAY, POSTAL SERVICE: The mail inside of those trailers has been tested as part of their routine testing. They found some preliminary results from what's called PCR, which is very basic test. And then they followed up with a lab test, a series of those cultures were done, and they got one positive out of that. So they've done continuing testing on that mail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Now, after what happened in 2001, of course, the Postal Service is taking no chances. It immediately shut down its facility in Washington that handles mail for the Federal Reserve, got its employees out of there and has them today sorting government mail in a nearby building. And one employee who we talked to there said that his fellow workers are not panicking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most of the people I've seen, we are really not worried about it, not the guys I know, because we've been through it before, so we know what to look for in anthrax. It can only hurt you if you don't know how to handle it. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Now, the Federal Reserve has -- because it has this separate layer of testing for anthrax, it has had false positives come up on its mail in the past. And, Daryn, they're expecting this also to be a nonevent, but they are taking all sorts of precautions. They obviously don't want to put any lives at risk -- back to you.

KAGAN: Understandable. Kathleen Koch, thank you so much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired January 15, 2003 - 10:09   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are following this developing story out of Washington. This ricin story, there is also a postal site that is being tested for possible anthrax bacteria. A routine test turned up potential traces of anthrax at the facility which checks mail addressed to the Federal Reserve.
Our Kathleen Koch has been following the story and joins us with more on that -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, Postal Service officials are now telling us that final results on the anthrax tests conducted at that postal facility on V Street in Washington now won't be back until between 3:00 and 6:00 this afternoon, so we are going to have to wait a while to find out whether or not there was actually any anthrax contamination.

Now, since the anthrax incidents back in 2001, the Postal Service has irradiated all mail that was bound to the federal government, destined for the federal government here in Washington, D.C. But what happened is this preliminary positive came from other tests, separate tests, that were conducted by the Federal Reserve at two trailers that are located here in Washington near its main facility.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS DAY, POSTAL SERVICE: The mail inside of those trailers has been tested as part of their routine testing. They found some preliminary results from what's called PCR, which is very basic test. And then they followed up with a lab test, a series of those cultures were done, and they got one positive out of that. So they've done continuing testing on that mail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Now, after what happened in 2001, of course, the Postal Service is taking no chances. It immediately shut down its facility in Washington that handles mail for the Federal Reserve, got its employees out of there and has them today sorting government mail in a nearby building. And one employee who we talked to there said that his fellow workers are not panicking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most of the people I've seen, we are really not worried about it, not the guys I know, because we've been through it before, so we know what to look for in anthrax. It can only hurt you if you don't know how to handle it. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Now, the Federal Reserve has -- because it has this separate layer of testing for anthrax, it has had false positives come up on its mail in the past. And, Daryn, they're expecting this also to be a nonevent, but they are taking all sorts of precautions. They obviously don't want to put any lives at risk -- back to you.

KAGAN: Understandable. Kathleen Koch, thank you so much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com