DATE=10/30/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-240972
TITLE= INDIANA ANTHRAX (S-ONLY)
BYLINE= MICHAEL LELAND
DATELINE= CHICAGO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: MORE THAN 20 PEOPLE AT A HEALTH CLINIC IN THE MIDWEST U-S
CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS WERE TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL FRIDAY AFTER THE
CLINIC RECEIVED A LETTER CLAIMING TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH
ANTHRAX, A POTENTIALLY DEADLY BACTERIAL DISEASE. MORE FROM
V-O-A'S MICHAEL LELAND.
TEXT: THE LETTER ARRIVED AT THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLINIC FRIDAY
AFTERNOON. EIGHTEEN CLINIC EMPLOYEES, TWO POLICE OFFICERS AND A
POSTAL CARRIER WERE DECONTAMINATED -- SCRUBBED DOWN WITH
ANTI-BACTERIAL AGENTS -- IN A TENT OUTSIDE THE CLINIC, AND TAKEN
TO A HOSPITAL AS A PRECAUTION.
THE LETTER WAS MAILED FROM (THE CITY OF) CINCINNATI, ABOUT 160
KILOMETERS AWAY. IT CLAIMED TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH ANTHRAX,
THOUGH OFFICIALS HAD NOT DETERMINED FRIDAY EVENING WHETHER IT
ACTUALLY WAS.
ANTHRAX IS AN INFECTIOUS BACTERIAL DISEASE THAT USUALLY AFFECTS
CATTLE AND SHEEP BUT CAN BE TRANSMITTED TO HUMANS. PEOPLE CAN BE
INFECTED BY INHALING THE BACTERIA. SYMPTOMS DEVELOP WITHIN A
WEEK AFTER EXPOSURE.
THE INDIANAPOLIS CLINIC WAS ONE OF AT LEAST FOUR IN THE UNITED
STATES RECEIVING SIMILAR LETTERS ON FRIDAY. POLICE SAY THEY ARE
NOT SURE WHETHER THE LETTERS ARE MEANT TO BE A FORM OF ABORTION
PROTEST, BUT THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL ABORTION AND
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ACTION LEAGUE IS ALREADY CALLING THE
INCIDENTS "DOMESTIC TERRORISM." (SIGNED)
NEB/MJL/WTW
30-Oct-98 6:29 PM EST (2329 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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