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CNN Live At Daybreak

Health Officials Observing at Least 45 Possible Cases of Anthrax

Aired October 25, 2001 - 07:04   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 second case of skin anthrax has now been confirmed at the "New York Post." The victim worked in the mail room, where an anthrax tainted letter arrived earlier. Nationwide, there have now been 13 anthrax infections. Six people have contracted inhalation anthrax, the more serious form of the disease, and three of them have died. There are now seven cases of skin anthrax infection and at least 32 people have tested positive for exposure to the disease.

Now, some of the victims infected in Washington are at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Springs, Maryland, where our medical correspondent Rea Blakey is standing by. She has the very latest from there for us this morning -- good morning, Rea.

REA BLAKEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

In the Washington region, Washington-Baltimore, there are at least 45 cases that public health officials are keeping an eye on, varying degrees of intensity. Here at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Springs, there are at least five people who are associated with the Brentwood postal service office and at least one individual who we are understanding is a female reporter who was on Capitol Hill outside Senator Daschle's office at the time the anthrax laced letter was, in fact, found.

That individual is being treated with antibiotics. The other five individuals, we understand, are in good condition. And by the way, we anticipate today that we may have some test results from some of those folks indicating whether or not they specifically, in fact, clinically did have anthrax exposure, even though they're all being treated.

In the region, again, 45 -- I'm sorry, four confirmed cases in this region. That would include two deaths and two people who are in serious condition at Inova Fairfax Hospital, another hospital in the region. At least 15 people, cases that are clinically -- there's some clinical illness, in other words, some kind of symptom. But these people are just being evaluated. And then another 26 cases that the CDC and the department of health in the District indicate have a low suspicion level.

Those cases, there is some clinical illness, but they are "not likely related to anthrax exposure." One other thing, at the Brentwood postal facility, where the vast majority of the people involved in these cases have either had some contact or work, at that facility they're asking that all people who have visited the dock area of the Brentwood facility, who would pick up mail, whether it be for their company -- some of the larger companies actually go to the mail facility, pick up their mail and then distribute it at their own company site -- that all those people, in fact, be prophylactically tested, Paula, for possible anthrax exposure -- back to you.

ZAHN: OK, Rea, thanks so much.

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