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CNN Live At Daybreak

Anthrax: CBS Employees Tested After Assistant to Dan Rather Diagnosed

Aired October 19, 2001 - 08:12   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: Here in New York environmental tests are now underway at CBS News. Yesterday CBS said one employee there had contracted skin anthrax.

Jason Carroll now updates us on that case. Good morning Jason. How are you this morning?

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

Last night a number of CBS employees were tested, just as a precaution. This morning more will be tested and as you say, health officials will be conducting environmental tests here as well. This after a CBS employee tested positive for a skin form of anthrax, the cutaneous form of anthrax.

The woman routinely handles mail for Dan Rather. This whole thing started -- it first happened for her, at least she says on October 1st. Her face started to swell. Initially she thought it was some sort of spider bite. She went to the doctor. They initially treated her with penicillin.

A test later revealed, though, that she did have the skin form of anthrax. She was put on Cipro. She is doing well. Last night CBS Anchor Dan Rather was a guest on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE", and he talked about the attack on his assistant.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

DAN RATHER, CBS NEWS ANCHOR: This is particularly awkward and uncomfortable because it's so serious and not to put too fine a point on it, but this young woman became a part of a target for an assassin. It doesn't get much more serious than that.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

CARROLL: New York City now has three confirmed cases of anthrax infection. We have an NBC employee, Eve, the assistant to Tom Brokaw who opened what appears to be an infected or a suspicious letter. A seven-month old baby boy whose mother is a news producer at ABC. The source of anthrax there still unknown, and of course, the woman here at CBS, the source of anthrax here still unknown.

Dan Rather also said, though, that this woman is doing well and that in fact, she only missed one day of work throughout this entire ordeal.

Paula.

ZAHN: Good for her Jason because, as you know, that medication can rip your stomach up pretty badly.

Jason, thanks so much. See you in the next hour.

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