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CNN Live At Daybreak

New York City Anthrax Victim in Critical Condition

Aired October 31, 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: We begin right now with anthrax. Two women with no connection at all to the postal service, the government or the media are now infected. That, of course, raises questions about cross contamination of the mail.

The New York City woman with inhalation anthrax remains on a respirator in critical condition.

CNN's Jason Carroll is outside the Manhattan hospital where that woman is being treated -- Jason, are we getting any information on how she's doing this morning?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Still in critical condition. In fact, one doctor described her condition as being very grave. And I have to tell you, Paula, so far this is a case that really has investigators baffled. They're still trying to figure out exactly how this woman contracted this disease.

She worked here in a stock room at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. That stock room located in the basement, in the same area as a mail room. Just to give you a little bit of a history of what happened here, she became sick last Thursday. Her condition became worse over the weekend. On Sunday she checked herself into Lenox Hill Hospital. Once again, at that point, doctors described her condition as being very critical.

Once again at this point, health officials are still trying to figure out exactly how this woman contracted inhalation anthrax.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN OSTROFF, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL: I think the reason that this particular case is concerning is because it doesn't fit the pattern that we've seen with the other illnesses. Number one here in New York it's the first instance of an individual with the inhalation form of the disease. And as the mayor said, there's no clear linkage with mail in the way that all of the other cases had a very clear linkage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: So here's what they're going to do. Investigators are retracing this woman's steps. What they've done is they've taken 40 environmental samples from her work area. Ten of those samples have come back. All of those samples so far negative. What they've done is they've also gone out to her home in the Bronx. They've taken samples from her apartment there. We're still waiting for the test results from those samples.

Also, Paula, as a precaution, what health officials are doing is they're asking anyone who has been at this hospital for at least one hour since October 11, they are saying that all of those people, at least 2,000 people should be taking antibiotics. And they can go over to Lenox Hill Hospital to get those antibiotics.

But once again, the investigation right now is focused on trying to figure out exactly how this woman contracted inhalation anthrax -- Paula.

ZAHN: All right, Jason, let's talk a little bit more about what you just said, that they are going to be taking samples from this woman's apartment, that testing is being done. Do you know when those results will come back?

CARROLL: Well, the way I understand it is they're still in the process of taking environmental samples from her apartment. It could be tomorrow, it could be by late today. Again, they're still in the process of trying to figure out exactly what they need to be looking for. I know that they've taken samples from, for instance, from her air conditioner. They might be looking at the subway line that she took from her home to the hospital. So it's a pretty lengthy process -- Paula.

ZAHN: And what are they, I know you said 40 samples in all were taken at the hospital. Ten of those results have come back already showing a negative result. What are investigators telling you? Do they suspect if those first 10 came back negative, the rest of the areas will also come back negative? Or they just don't know?

CARROLL: It's just too early to tell. This is such an unusual case, all they can do is do their -- make their best efforts to retrace her steps here where she worked, back at her apartment, possibly from her apartment on the way over to the hospital, take as many samples as they can from as many different areas, run the tests and see what they come up with -- Paula.

ZAHN: Jason Carroll, thanks so much for that update.

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