Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Target: Terrorism - Anthrax Victim in Florida Appears to Be Isolated Case

Aired October 05, 2001 - 08:03   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: A man is being treated at a Florida hospital for what is called inhaled anthrax, a rare disease that is usually fatal. Federal officials say the case is an isolated one unrelated to any threat of bioterrorism.

CNN's John Zarrella is in Atlantis, Florida with the latest.

How is the patient doing right now, John?

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, unfortunately he is still in very critical condition -- grave condition. He is being treated with antibiotics, penicillin. But again, it's grave condition.

Generally speaking, once you come down with the symptoms of this, it's quite rare that you recover from it. There's almost a 90 percent mortality rate from inhaled anthrax once you've got the symptoms, and even if you go into the hospital, there's not a whole heck of a lot they can do.

But he is holding on today -- again, very grave condition. That's Bob Stevens, 63 years old, here at JFK Hospital in Atlantis, Florida.

Now, I want to bring in Dr. Jean Malecki, who is the director of the Palm Beach County Health Department, right in the center of what became very quickly a swirl and storm of activity yesterday.

The first question: What should people here worry about or not worry about?

DR. JEAN MALECKI, COUNTY HEALTH DIRECTOR: First of all, the worry should be contained. Fear and panic just drives people into their homes. We have an isolated case, as we speak right now, and we're continuing to monitor this, and we're continuing to investigate this.

The other piece of good news is that this is not a contagious disease. It cannot be transmitted from person to person. So casual contact will not give this disease to you. And again, so far, there are no other suspects of this disease, so we really truly believe that we have an incidental case. ZARRELLA: Now, I know you've done intensive investigation already. The investigation is continuing. And again, so far, no other exposure case is coming up.

MALECKI: No. And it's very intensive what we are doing. We are looking at all laboratory tests that would be indicative of this organism and all of our hospitals here in Palm Beach County. We're working with the medical examiner to examine previous cases of death, which did not have a diagnosis. We're monitoring all admissions to our intensive care units that had spinal taps or actually had blood cultures.

So this is an intensive surveillance, and up to today, there has been no indication of another case.

ZARRELLA: Everyone wants to know: OK, inhaled anthrax. How can you possibly get it?

MALECKI: Well, this particular organism -- this organism is a spore-forming organism. And you actually get this through the spores of this bacillus. The spores are found in soil. They also can be found in meat -- a particular type of meat, such as in cattle or sheep or goat. And in this particular type of anthrax, you actually inhale the spores that have been aerosolized. It gets into your pulmonary tract, and then the disease starts.

ZARRELLA: One thing I know you're very, very concerned about is people who have a cough, who get flu-like symptoms -- the walking healthy, as I guess you call them -- may start to come into doctor's offices and hospitals, gee, I need to be tested. I am concerned. That's probably something they shouldn't do, correct?

MALECKI: I think people should be prudent and monitor themselves. I also think that if there is undue fear, call your doctor, call the Health Department. We're available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and we will answer your questions.

ZARRELLA: Dr. Malecki, thank you so very much for coming and spending some time with us this morning.

Now again, health officials have talked intensively with the man's wife. They say she has been extremely helpful as to where he has gone, his whereabouts. But one thing they do say is because this probably most likely is naturally causing, Paula, they say that there is also a good chance they may never, ever be able to actually find the source.

This is John Zarrella reporting live in Atlantis, Florida.

ZAHN: Hey, John, much more reaction to that little piece of information buried in "The Miami Herald" this morning suggesting that Mr. Stevens lived awfully close to the airport where suspected hijacker, Mohammed Atta trained, and within 10 miles of the apartment where many of the hijackers lived for several months?

ZARRELLA: Right. And health officials here are saying that what they're doing is, again, getting a lot of information as to where he went, what he did from his wife. They are not discounting anything. But at this point, all of that appears to be just unfortunate coincidence -- Paula.

ZAHN: All right. John Zarrella, thanks so much for that update.

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