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CNN Live Today

Connecticut Governor to Announce Results of Anthrax Tests

Aired November 23, 2001 - 11:16   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to anthrax in this country where the questions continue. A 94-year-old widow died earlier this week from inhalation anthrax, that investigation now hitting full throttle.

To Oxford, Connecticut and Michael Okwu who is keeping track now.

Michael, good morning.

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, good morning to you.

Governor John Rowland is expected to have a press conference at 1:00 this afternoon where he will announce the results of environmental tests taken at the home of Ottilie Lundgren and at two postal facilities in the state.

Now yesterday, state police blocked access to the -- to the home of Ottilie Lundgren as investigators were taking a look at samples within her home. They were essentially conducting an inch-by-inch inspection of the house. Investigators took samples and items from the premises. They're also taking a very close look around the neighborhood, specifically the beauty salon and the church that she frequented.

Now the governor will also announce the results of tests taken at a mail distribution center in Wallingford and at a postal facility in Seymour, Connecticut, which is not far here from Oxford, Connecticut. The majority of some 12,000 workers at those facilities have chosen to start a 10-day course of Cipro as a precaution.

Now doctors at Griffin Hospital where Lundgren died Wednesday don't want to panic the public, but they do admit that this case is still very, very much a mystery. And they say that they are getting more calls from the public than they normally do at this time of year of people being very concerned about respiratory issues. Now they believe that those respiratory issues are legitimate, but they do believe that the public is a little bit more sensitive given the news of this past week, Bill.

And it's very interesting, when you look around here, Bill, it is a very quiet community that looks like people are going by -- going through with their routine in a very normal way but that very much belies the level of concern here in Oxford.

Funeral services for Ottilie Lundgren are scheduled for tomorrow. HEMMER: Michael, quickly, we have talked about this woman staying at home for the greater part of her life. Is there any indication over the past several weeks that she ever left her house?

OKWU: People do say that she left her house almost on a weekly basis. She stopped driving about a year ago, and at that time, friends and relatives would customarily come over to her house more. They expected to see her at her house than expecting to see her at their houses. But she did have a weekly -- a weekly appointment at the beauty salon, and we are told that she was very much a churchgoer. So we know that at least once or twice a week she did leave her house but not for very long stretches -- Bill.

HEMMER: OK, well that clarifies a little more based on the reports we were getting earlier in the week about her being constantly at home.

Michael Okwu, thanks, there live in Oxford, Connecticut.

For more on that anthrax investigation, Connecticut Governor John Rowland has scheduled a briefing later today, 1:00 Eastern time. He will meet with reporters then. We'll have live coverage when that takes place a bit later.

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