Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Officials Say No Sign of Terrorism in the Anthrax Death in Florida

Aired October 06, 2001 - 11:28   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.
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I want to take you now to Palm Beach County, Florida to CNN's Mark Potter who's just emerged from a briefing by officials, filling in reporters on the details of the death of a 63-year-old Florida man yesterday, a case of inhalation anthrax, a very rare disease. Officials saying no signs of terrorism here, but this obviously a case that has raised concern.

Mark, what's the latest?

MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, as you said, we just had a briefing here at the Emergency Operation Center in West Palm Beach. We heard from Dr. Steven Weirsma, who's the chief epidemiologist for the State of Florida. We're talking about the case of Robert Stevens, a 63-year-old photographer who died yesterday afternoon in nearby Atlantis, Florida of anthrax. He came to the hospital there early Tuesday morning and his health deteriorated critically from that point on. He lasted three-and-a-half days, dying yesterday.

The main point that is being made by Dr. Weirsma is that there is really not a whole lot more news today than yesterday. They still have not found any other cases of Anthrax.

What we are looking at here in these pictures by the way are some FBI and investigators for the CBC at Robert Stevens home in Lantana. They went in the house yesterday and took out some household items as they continued a very wide spread investigation, involving at least 50 people, 50 investigators throughout the Palm Beach Country area.

The investigation also, according to Dr. Weirsma, involves a range of area hospitals, particular ICUs, going to morgues, looking over records to see if there could be any other case of Anthrax in the area. And the reassuring news that he offers is that they have found no other Anthrax cases. And he makes the point that as more time progresses; it's better news each time. The thought is that if there to be another case, it would occur soon and it has not yet happened.

As I said, material was taken from Mr. Stevens' home in Lantana, household items such as fertilizers, soil. They took swabs around the house. They took all of this to a lab for analysis, to see if they can try to figure out how he may have contracted this very rare form of Anthrax. And so far, they have not yet gotten back the results. There are no hot leads right now anywhere in the investigation. They are plotting along. This could take weeks. It could even take months, we are warned. And they're just going along again with no answers.

He did make the point that family members are being recommended to take antibiotics just in case. But he also says to put this in perspective there is no evidence at all that any family member or close associate has come up with Anthrax. No signs of that at all.

The investigation also is being conducted in North Carolina. Three counties there where Robert Stevens went on vacation a week ago. Investigators believe it's most likely that he contracted the disease somewhere here in Florida. They're open to all options. They're not looking at this as a terrorism case. They think this is a naturally occurring but very rare, single incident of a pulmonary anthrax, at least so far.

John, back to you.

KING: CNN's Mark Potter in West Palm Beach, Florida with the latest there. And to echo what Mark just said, officials here in Washington saying they view this as an isolated case. The investigation continuing but they believe it's a very isolated case. No signs at all of terrorist activity

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com