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American Morning
Anthrax in America: Hospital Worker Latest to Show Symptoms
Aired October 30, 2001 - 09:35 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The total number of confirmed anthrax cases in the United State has now reached 15, and two of the newest victims do not work for the postal service or the news media.
Our Jason Carroll has the latest on a New York woman being treated for possible inhalation anthrax at a Manhattan hospital -- Jason.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That woman is 61 years old. She works in the stockroom of the eye, ear, and throat hospital here on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. That stockroom is located in the basement. It is near a mail room. Apparently, this woman would deliver mail as part of her regular duties.
The way this whole thing happened is she became sick Thursday. She had a headache, chills, and a fever, but she went to work on Thursday. She went to work on Friday. But late Sunday, she become very sick, and she checked herself into Lenox Hill Hospital. At that point, doctors put her on a respirator. She was listed in critical condition. A preliminary test revealed she did have inhalation anthrax.
As you say, that is the most serious form of the disease. If confirmed, it would be the first such case here in New York City.
As a precaution, what's been going on is a hazardous material team has been sent down to this hospital here. They've taken environmental tests when they've been down here. At least 40 environmental samples have been taken. Those test results should be back later today. Also, some hospital workers here have been tested as a precaution. In addition, some will be given antibiotics as well.
Late last night, New York City's Mayor Rudy Giuliani talked about all the measures that are being taken in this case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR RUDY GIULIANI, NEW YORK CITY: It may turn out that she does have anthrax, in which case these steps are absolutely necessary, and it may turn out that she doesn't, and if she doesn't, these steps are necessary out of an excess of caution.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CARROLL: This morning, we spoke to a doctor who works here at the hospital, and he told us that this hospital will be closed for 24 hours. He also said that this mostly an outpatient facility, and all of those patients who are need of care will be transferred to other hospitals in the area -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Jason Carroll, thank you very much.
This New York case raises new questions for investigators trying to find the source of this bacteria.
Medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is in Atlanta as the hunt goes on.
Sanjay, how can be get so far away from the mail room here? I guess it would help to understand how mail travels through the system somewhat. That would help. It seems like we're getting farther and farther away from the post office.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: We really are, Miles. We did a little demonstration a couple of days ago about the types of mail and how it would actually go through a mail room. You get powder coming out of the envelopes. I did a demonstration showing the mail actually going through the sorters. Sometimes, if the powder is actually quite small, the spores less than 5 microns in size can actually make the powder come through the envelope and possibly be released onto other envelopes and throughout the mail room. If it was actually on the other envelopes and then delivered to other places, Miles, maybe that's one way they can get to places outside the post office.
O'BRIEN: We'll get back with you a little bit later.
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