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CNN Live Sunday

Reports of Anthrax Exposure From Florida, Boston, New York

Aired October 14, 2001 - 16:18   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's bring you up to date now on a topic that has had a lot of people's attention this week, and that is anthrax. First to Boston, where the "Globe" there is reporting that one of its editors is being tested for exposure to the anthrax bacteria. Reports of anthrax being mailed to various groups and companies has put many organizations, as well as the U.S. government, on alert. Authorities are saying that more employees at the "Sun" tabloid in Boca Raton, Florida may have been exposed to anthrax. An employee there died from inhalation anthrax earlier this month.

An NBC News employee was exposed to anthrax contained in a letter mailed to the network. Several hours ago Mayor Giuliani said that a police officer and two lab technicians investigating the case apparently were also exposed. And in Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn says that a letter sent from Malaysia to a Microsoft office in Reno tested position for anthrax spores.

On CNN's "LATE EDITION," Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson says there's no evidence that the anthrax is the work of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda organization.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOMMY THOMPSON, HHS SECRETARY: There's no question it's bioterrorism. It's a biological agent; it's terrorism; it a crime -- it's terrorism. But whether or not it's connected to al Qaeda, we can't say conclusively.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: First place this made news was Florida. Let's go ahead and check in in Boca Raton, and that's where we find our John Zarrella.

John, hello.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn.

Well, today very little activity here at the American Media Building behind me. The federal investigators, FBI agents have been in there huddled in groups, having meetings periodically, but no one has gone in or out of the building.

The FBI has brought in 80 additional agents. What they're doing is interviewing about 800 people who may -- who worked in the building or visited the building starting about August 1. That activity is, we understand, still ongoing. We may get the results of some environmental tests; 78 samples were removed from this building last week. Some of those results may come back tomorrow. A little bit uncertain there. But a lot of the heavy lifting in this case is really being done in the laboratories at the Centers for Disease Control and in facilities here in Florida.

Yesterday afternoon a report surfaced that a number of additional workers tested positive in blood tests for exposure to anthrax, possibly. What actually took palace was this: The 300 people who work in the building not only got nasal swabs, but they also were given blood tests. The results of those blood tests have come back, and a number of people, perhaps up to five, we don't know the exact number, showed an increased level of antibodies in their system.

What had always been the plan was to give another blood test to all 300 people. That will take place later in the week. This way when they compare the two blood tests if they see increased levels in the second blood test, of antibodies which are germ-fighters, that could indicate the presence of anthrax in the system, or at least exposure to anthrax.

But those test -- that second blood test won't be taken until Wednesday or Thursday of this coming week. Those blood samples will be taken to Centers for Disease Control for analysis and evaluation. So we still could be a week away from actually knowing if there were any more exposure cases to anthrax beyond the three that we have established here.

Bob Stevens who, of course, passed away, and then the two other workers who worked in the mail room here at American Media.

SO again, at this point, still only the three confirmed cases of anthrax exposure here in Boca Raton -- Daryn.

KAGAN: John, on a very simple matter here: What do officials really mean by "exposure"? I could imagine that you could be exposed to anthrax but not get anthrax, or not get the infection. So when they say -- and even though they couch the terms of perhaps these additional five were exposed, is there a chance they were exposed but don't have anthrax?

ZARRELLA: Oh, absolutely. That's exactly what they mean. When you're exposed, that means you may have the spores -- the anthrax spores that they have found in nasal passages, that they found on the computer keyboard, for example. You can have spores of anthrax, the bacteria, but you may not have full-blown infection. And once you're on the Cipro, as long as you get on that Cipro before it actually takes hold in your body, you have a very, very, very good chance of surviving, of getting through it.

And, in fact, everybody, 1,000 people who were in that building, 300 workers and 700 other visitors, have all been on Cipro, and health officials have been quick to point out that no one else is sick. So that's a very, very important key in how the antibiotics are actually working -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Important, and providing a lot of hope, too, for folks in Florida and, I'm sure, across the country. John Zarrella in Boca Raton. John, thank you.

And now with more developments on anthrax in the Northeast, let's go to Stephen.

STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: Daryn, thank you.

The anthrax that infected an NBC News employee in New York City was mailed inside a letter with a postmark from Trenton, New Jersey.

CNN's Jason Carroll joins us now from Trenton with the latest on that investigation.

Jason, hello again.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello to you Stephen.

Actually, I want to point out that we're in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. And the reason for that is this is the processing mail center that actually processed that letter in question, the one that was postmarked on September 18 from Trenton, New Jersey, as you pointed out.

That letter is the source of the anthrax that infected the NBC employee. That employee was infected with a cutaneous form of the disease, a skin infection. She has been identified as an assistant to Tom Brokaw.

Also, a second NBC employee who handled that letter may be showing similar symptoms as well. Late today, though, Mayor Giuliani came out and announced that a police officer who actually opened that letter, and two lab technicians who also had handled it, were exposed to anthrax spores. But he wants to point out that does not mean that they have been infected with anthrax.

He says that this is a significant development, but he also says that this should not be blown out of proportion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR RUDOLPH GIULIANI (R), NEW YORK: A balance has to be struck here between sufficient precautions and making people so frightened and so upset they're not able to conduct their lives, which means having people walking around in space suits all over the city of New York. The reality is that I think they balance that correct.

And also part of the procedure is to have people tested immediately, and then if minuscule amounts are found, as were found here, then treat them as a prophylaxis immediately. And that is, I take it, 100 percent -- a 100 percent safe way to proceed. And again, I know the tendency to exaggerate in a situation like this, but I ask you to consider the fact that let's not make people more nervous about this than they have to be. (END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: Note of caution there from the mayor.

Initially the investigation had focused on another letter; a letter a letter postmarked on September 25. That letter also addressed to anchor Tom Brokaw. So far tests on that letter, as well as another one that was sent to the "New York Times" has turned up negative.

Earlier today I had an opportunity to speak with the mayor of Hamilton Township. I asked him about whether or not officials here and workers here at this postal facility would be tested. He told me that that would be a matter for the FBI. But I can tell you that at least 600 employees at NBC have been tested at this point, just as a precautionary measure -- Stephen.

FRAZIER: Jason Carroll in Hamilton Township; Jason, thanks so much.

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