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CNN Live At Daybreak

Anthrax Scare: ABC News Producer's Son Has Cutaneous Anthrax

Aired October 16, 2001 - 08:08   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: We have some new developments in the anthrax story to share with you now. First the cities where the latest confirmed cases have been identified.

In New York, the infant son of an ABC News producer brought into the network newsroom last month, has been treated for skin anthrax.

In Washington, a white powder inside a letter delivered to the offices of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle tested positive for anthrax.

And in Boca Raton, Florida, a second employee at American Media is hospitalized in intensive care with anthrax.

We have a team of reporters covering the anthrax scare. John Zarella is in Boca Raton with an update on the second Florida man now being treated for the disease.

Jason Carroll is in New York with an update on the little baby, and Rhonda Rowland has news from the CDC in Atlanta on a suspected case in Reno.

First, to New York, and that's exactly where we find CNN's Jason Carroll. Jason?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Paula. I can tell you that that seven-month-old baby boy is in good condition. He is responding well to antibiotics.

The baby, as you said, is the son of an ABC producer. He has a cutaneous form of anthrax. It is a skin disease, and it is easily treatable with antibiotics. Authorities say the baby may have contracted the disease while on a visit to ABC on September 28th. Apparently, he was here for a birthday party.

Shortly after the visit to ABC, the baby became sick. His parents initially thought the mark on his arm was a spider bite. They took him to the hospital. Doctors tried to figure out what was wrong with him.

Eventually, a test done by the Centers for Disease Control did confirm that the baby did in -- did in fact, have a form of anthrax.

Given what has happened here at ABC, and at NBC, where an employee there contracted the disease after opening a letter to Tom Brokaw, health officials are doing environmental checks of several news organizations -- ABC, CNN, at our own offices there, CBS, the Associated Press, are just a few.

These are precautionary measures only. Within the past hour, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was a guest here on CNN, and he talked about what investigators are doing to try to get at the bottom of this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR RUDY GIULIANI (R), NEW YORK CITY: Last night we tried to retrace, as best we could, all of the steps of where the baby was taken, so that we can try to limit it to certain areas. The police and the FBI interviewed a large number of people.

So far, now conclusions, except no one else has symptoms, which is very, very good news. This, you know, all happened, what, 17 days ago, and no one has developed any symptoms, so, whatever might have been going on there does not appear to be going on there now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: And that baby boy, once again, is doing well. He is expected to make a full recovery. And, Paula, this morning, we did have an opportunity to talk to a few ABC News employees as they were about to head into work.

They tell us that they are not worried at this point, and none of the people that we talked to this morning have any plans to ask for any antibiotics -- Paula.

ZAHN: All right, Jason. Thanks so much.

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