Accidental Anthrax Inhalation Reported In New York City
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NEW YORK (AP) – A New York City man has been hospitalized after inhaling anthrax, but officials believe it was accidental and not related to terrorism.
The man traveled recently to the west coast of Africa and became ill shortly after his return, said a federal law enforcement official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The official said the anthrax may have been on animal skins.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the illness of the 44-year-old man “what we believe at this point to be a completely isolated and accidental case” of anthrax infection. No other illnesses have been reported, although he said three other people who may have been exposed were being treated with antibiotics.
The man became ill while in Pennsylvania and remains hospitalized in fair condition, the mayor said. Pennsylvania health officials and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control confirmed the case as inhalation anthrax on Wednesday, the mayor said.
Searches for contamination were under way in the man’s rented storage and work area in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn, his vehicle, and in his West Village apartment, Bloomberg said.
Aides to the mayor said the man was recovering in a hospital in Sayre, Pa.
It was not clear how the man came into contact with the deadly substance, but mayor’s aides said it was related to his job and that federal and city officials traced the exposure to New York City after the man became ill in Pennsylvania.
Officials stressed that the case is unique and not related to any kind of intentional attack.
Weeks after the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the nation was on high alert as anthrax-laced letters popped up in several places, including New York City. NBC anchor Tom Brokaw, two U.S. senators and the offices of the New York Post were among the targets.
The anthrax attacks killed five people across the country, including a New York City hospital worker and two postal workers, and sickened 17. Investigators never determined who was responsible for the attacks.
