Senators Try To Get A Handle On Anthrax Outbreak
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The anthrax death of two Washington, D.C. postal employees over the weekend became the focus of a Senate subcommittee hearing yesterday. The hearing had been called to discuss funding to combat bioterrorism but senators used the opportunity to take government officials to task about their handling of the anthrax case.
Members of the Appropriations subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education wanted to know why Washington postal workers were not immediately tested for anthrax once an anthrax-laced letter was discovered in Senate Majority leader Thomas A. Daschle’s, D-S.D., office.
“I’m very concerned about what the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is doing and how they are operating,” said subcommittee chairman U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. He said it seems like something “broke down” in the CDC and that the CDC needs to be made sure people are “alerted” and “treated.”
“It’s obvious people are getting sick and people are dying,” he said, and this cannot be afforded.
Dr. Jeffrey P. Koplan, Director of the CDC, said part of the reason the Washington postal workers were not advised to be tested or take antibiotics was because the people had not yet been diagnosed with anthrax. Koplan admitted that gloves and masks are not always effective and that the CDC does not have any hard fast rules to give out to postal employees. He said the CDC was planning to meet later yesterday to discuss the advice to give postal workers.
Koplan and Tim Caruso, Deputy Assistant Director of Counter-terrorism for the FBI were among eight speakers, including scientists, that testified. Both tried to calm the edgy senators and the worried public, even though they admitted that little is known about anthrax. Caruso also said that there are no “evidentiary links” of the anthrax outbreaks to Osama bin Laden.
As of yesterday, three people had died from inhaled anthrax, including the two Washington postal workers. Two other Washington postal employees have been hospitalized with inhaled anthrax and nine other cases have aroused “concern.”
The Brentwood facility has now been closed for testing and approximately 3,400 employees from across Washington were tested and given antibiotics.
The CDC’s Koplan said the early stages of inhalation anthrax, which include flu-like symptoms are easy to miss and mimic many other diseases. He said it is believable that one of the sick Washington postal employees was turned away from their doctors.
“A key issue here and an important issue for the public is the combination of those symptoms and where this person works and that is the key linkage,” said Koplan. He said that will be part of the present and future protocol for doctors when people come in with flu-like symptoms. “Something we wouldn’t have asked two weeks ago, we need to ask now.”
Koplan said the CDC is still investigating whether the anthrax bacteria can definitely be passed through unopened mail since a postal worker in Trenton, N.J. was diagnosed with skin anthrax. Trenton is the origin of letters sent to “NBC Nightly News” anchor Tom Brokaw and Sen. Daschle.
“This is not the time to panic,” said Sen. Harkin. “That’s what the bioterrorists want.” He said there is “misinformation” being put out to the public and misinformation leads to panic.
“The public needs information,” said Sen. Harkin, who believes the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Bureau of Investigation need to have a better coordinated operation. “Our public health agencies need information on which to make decisions to protect the American public. We need to determine a course of action and we need to start on it now.”
The FBI’s Caruso noted that in Miami, New York, New Jersey and Washington, the local FBI is working closely with state and local government offices, law enforcement and public health agencies.
“The FBI is coordinating sampling and testing operations with the CDC and Health and Human Services to ensure public safety and we are closely aligned with the U.S. Postal Service and the office of the chief postal inspector at the local and headquarters level,” said Caruso.
Koplan advised the public, that if they have a problem or question relating to anthrax, to first call their local county or city health department and second their state health department.
Sen. Spector adamantly suggested establishing a national hotline for people to call even though Koplan said it would be “virtually impossible” to answer all the phone calls that would be received. Koplan said there is currently a hotline for state and local health departments.
U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., suggested changing the current posting on the FBI’s website. Currently on the FBI’s website, an advisory is posted telling the public to look for packages and envelopes that have oily stains, strange odors, an incorrect address, no return address and extra postage. Sen. Landrieu pointed out that the letter opened in Sen. Daschle’s office last week did not have any of these characteristics.
Caruso called Sen. Landrieu’s suggestions “wise” and a “good” observation and would see if the FBI could “incorporate” her suggestions.
When asked by U.S. Senator Arlen Specter, R-Penn., ranking member of the subcommittee, about the threat of spreading disease through the use of crop dusters, Koplan said it is “difficult to determine” the threat but “it is an issue.”
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