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CNN Saturday Morning News

Anthrax-Seeking Officials Retraces Steps of Letter Carrier

Aired October 20, 2001 - 11:29   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: More on the anthrax threat: In West Trenton, New Jersey, postal officials are retracing the steps of a female letter carrier today, looking for where she may have contracted skin anthrax.

Here's a run down of anthrax cases since October 1: Eight people have contracted the deadly bacteria. Two people inhaled anthrax spores; of these, one person has died. Six others have contracted the skin form of anthrax.

CNN's Brian Palmer is in Trenton now, and joins us with more on the investigation -- Brian.

BRIAN PALMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kyra.

First, just a word on those letters by the "New York Post" editorial assistant. She refers to Osama bin Laden as a possible source of this anthrax. That's precisely not what investigators here are saying. They're not ruling in -- they're not ruling out any culprits, but they're not naming any particular -- they're certainly not naming any particular names now.

We are still in front of the West Trenton Post Office in Ewing Township, New Jersey. The mail went out as usual today. A truck came through with presorted mail, and letter carriers collected the mail and went out on their routes, not exactly on the same schedule, not exactly business as usual, but the mail is still going ahead.

The head of Local 380, the National Association of Letter Carriers, Tony DiStefano (ph) says they are on a higher state of alert. They're looking for suspicious packages, but they are still sending out the mail.

Now last night, this building was the site of intense investigative activity. Investigators from the FBI, from the New Jersey State Police, and postal inspectors donned hazardous material suits to look for the source of this anthrax.

In fact, they did that all throughout yesterday. They fanned out across this letter carrier's route. She served about 250 businesses and homes. They swabbed mailboxes, taking samples, looking for traces of anthrax.

The FBI says they're going to be doing that today. Beyond that, they really can't tell us that much. They interviewed residents. They're going to continue doing that.

Now, we're joined today by a 30-year resident of West Trenton, Rick Dale.

Mr. Dale, what do you make of all this investigative activity, and what do you make of this anthrax investigation in your neighborhood?

RICK DALE, WEST TRENTON, NEW JERSEY: Well, I just have enough confidence that, you know, the local, the county, the state and the federal government has this in check and they're checking everything and they know how to proceed with this anthrax scare.

Also, I'd just like to say that, you know, I feel sorry for the female postal employee, and I'm glad that she's responding to treatment. She's been a good carrier in the area.

PALMER: Now, you are a corrections officer, but you're talking to us as a private citizen -- but you've got experience in law enforcement. What would you like to see happen next?

DALE: Just the media putting out more, you know, awareness of what to do if you come in contact with anything that's suspicious and things like that, that nature, what the precautions are, what to do when you come in contact, you know, the medical treatment you can receive to get better.

That's basically it. You know, I just don't like to be going around scared and things like that. I'm not going to do that.

PALMER: Great. Thank you Mr. Dale. Back to you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Brian Palmer thank you so much.

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