Las Vegas Sun
(Clipped from Lucianne, couldn't get through to original site)
A letter sent to a Reno company that tested "presumptively positive" for anthrax was being
further examined Friday by state health officials. Additional tests were being conducted at a state
Health Division laboratory to confirm the presence of anthrax. Results are expected Saturday,
officials said. Greg Bortolin, press secretary to Gov. Kenny Guinn, didn't immediately identify
which company received the letter. Guinn said he was glad to see that the state's emergency
management system "worked very well" in handling the possible anthrax incident. He added
employees at the company who became suspicious followed proper steps in alerting authorities.
Dr. Randy Todd, the state epidemiologist, said the Washoe County Health Department and the
FBI are involved in the investigation, which began after one company employee got a returned
letter that "just didn't look right."
-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001
Got the full report:
Today: October 12, 2001 at 17:04:02 PDT
Anthrax testing in Reno
By Cy Ryan
SUN CAPITAL BUREAU
CARSON CITY -- The state Health Laboratory is testing
a
suspicious substance that may be Anthrax received in a
letter by a Reno business.
Gov. Kenny Guinn said Friday the contents of the
letter
tested "presumptively positive" for Anthrax. Two other
tests must be conducted to confirm the diagnosis.
Results from those should be completed by Saturday.
The state Health Division referred all inquiries to
the
governor's office. Guinn has also notified the FBI.
The governor said a man who works at a Microsoft
office
in the Sierra Pacific Power Company building in Reno
paid a bill and mailed the check to Malaysia. But the
letter
came back with the check and also enclosed was some
pornographic literature, apparently with the strange
powder on it.
"This guy did the right thing," Guinn said, referring
to the
man's notification of authorities.
The Washoe County Health District has also been
brought into the case, the governor said.
The first test of the substance showed the presence of
the bacteria "Bacillus anthracis."
Guinn stressed that there are three different tests
before it
is positively determined to be Anthrax. He said
testing of
humans won't start until after the state lab completes
its
work.
"As the governor, I'm pleased to report that our state
emergency management system in placed worked very
well," Guinn said. "The employees in this case also
followed the recommended emergency procedures.
"This is a national issue that involves law
enforcement at
all levels," Guinn said. "The FBI has kept me well
informed
as these situations have evolved."
The governor advised Nevadans to continue to be ever
vigilant in this time of heightened security.
Anthrax, if inhaled, may begin with a mild flu-like
symptom
such as muscle aches, fever, fatigue and slight cough
usually one to six days after exposure.
It may then progress after two to four days to more
severe
symptoms such as high fever and shortness of breath.
It
is generally treatable with antibiotics and cannot be
spread from person to person.
-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001
KTVN.com
THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
THE LOCAL ANTHRAX SCARE-
CARSON CITY-State health officials are
analyzing a letter sent to Microsoft Licensing from
Malaysia that appeared suspicious to employees.
By 3:00 pm, contents of the letter tested
"presumptively positive" for anthrax.
By 6:40 p.m., the letter's second test was negative
for anthrax.
Additional testing to confirm the presence of
anthrax is ongoing and is expected to be complete
by Saturday.
The contents of the letter had a number of things
growing on it, like bacillus, the genus to which
anthrax belongs.
WHAT IS ANTHRAX?
Anthrax is a disease caused by bacteria. It can
cause disease if a sufficient amount of bacteria is
inhaled, injested or introduced into an open wound
or cut.
If inhaled, the disease can cause mild flu-like
symptoms such as muscle aches, fever, fatigue and
a slight cough usually one to six days after
exposure.
The disease then may progress to a high fever and
shortness of breath.
Anthrax can be treated with antibiotics and cannot
spread from person-to-person.
THE NATIONAL ANTHRAX SCARE-
NEW YORK CITY-An NBC "Nightly News"
employee who received mail containing a
suspicious white powder tested positive for skin
anthrax infection.
The FBI said there is no evidence at this time of
any connection to the September 11th terrorist
attacks in New York or anthrax cases being
investigated in Florida.
The infected NBC employee, a woman, was put
on an antibiotic regimen on October 1st. Her
results became known Friday morning.
The woman is in good condition and expected to
recover from a low-grade fever and bad rash.
The mail she received at NBC arrived over 2 1/2
weeks ago.
The New York Times also received a suspicious
envelope with powdery contents. Investigators are
currently testing it for anthrax.
-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001