PO
360
Trenton, NJ 08625-0360
For Release:
October 30, 2001
|
George
T. DiFerdinando, Jr., MD, MPH
Acting Commissioner
For
Further Information Contact:
Laura Otterbourg or Marilyn Riley
(609) 984-7160
|
Following
is an update on the condition of postal workers with anthrax: Note
that the CDC defines a confirmed case of anthrax as 1) a clinically
compatible case of cutaneous, inhalational, or gastrointestinal illness
that is laboratory confirmed by isolation of B. anthracis from
an affected tissue or site or 2) other laboratory evidence of B.
anthracis infection based on at least two supportive laboratory
tests. A suspected case is defined as 1) a clinically compatible case
of illness without isolation of B. anthracis and no alternative
diagnosis, but with laboratory evidence of B. anthracis by
one supportive laboratory test or 2) a clinically compatible case
of anthrax epidemiologically linked to a confirmed environmental exposure,
but without corroborative laboratory evidence of B. anthracis
infection.
| Patients |
Patient
Status |
Conditions |
| New
Jersey resident with Cutaneous Anthrax |
Confirmed
by CDC on Oct 29 |
Released
from hospital and recovering |
|
The
above case of cutaneous anthrax (whose occupation is not linked
to the postal system) announced yesterday is under active
and intense investigation by public health and law enforcement
officials. The DHSS and CDC - along with the FBI - are doing
environmental sampling at the patient's workplace and home
today. All employees at the patient's workplace were offered
a 10-day regimen of antibiotics pending the results of environmental
sampling.
|
| West
Trenton Postal Worker with Cutaneous Anthrax |
Confirmed
by CDC on Oct. 18 |
Recovering |
| Route
130 Hamilton Mail Processing Facility Worker with Cutaneous
Anthrax |
Listed
as Suspected by CDC on Oct. 18 |
Recovering |
| Route
130 Hamilton Mail Processing Facility Worker with Cutaneous
Anthrax |
Listed
as confirmed on Oct. 19 by Pennsylvania Department of Health |
Recovering |
| Route
130 Hamilton Mail Processing Facility Worker with Inhalational
Anthrax |
Confirmed
by CDC on Oct 28.Listed as suspected by CDC on Oct. 23. |
Clinically
improving, but still hospitalized |
| Route
130 Mail Hamilton Processing Facility Worker with Inhalational
Anthrax |
Confirmed
by CDC on Oct. 29 Listed as suspected on Oct. 25 by CDC. |
Discharged
from hospital and recovering |
As far the DHSS and CDC investigation has determined, the two
postal workers from the Eatontown mail processing facility have
no evidence of anthrax.
A
physician with Capital Health Systems is reporting a preliminary
positive nasal swab result on a Trenton firefighter. At this time,
the DHSS and CDC do not consider this patient to be possible case
of inhalational anthrax. The firefighter is doing well, with the
exception of a slight cough. However, the nasal swab test has
been forwarded to the State's Public Health & Environmental
Laboratories for confirmation.
Following
is a listing of all environmental sampling tests conducted by the
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and crime scene sampling
by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI):
| Postal
Facility |
Organization |
Results |
| Cartaret
Facility |
DHSS
and CDC |
All
14 samples taken Oct. 24 are negative for anthrax through final
testing. The DHSS and CDC has informed the facility manager
to advise workers and business visitors to stop taking antibiotics
that had been given as a precautionary measure. |
| Downtown
Station on Montgomery St., Trenton |
FBI |
All
11 samples taken to date are negative for anthrax through final
testing. |
| Princeton
Main, West Windsor |
DHSS
& CDC
FBI
|
23
samples taken Oct. 27 are preliminary negative to date.
22
samples taken Oct. 27 are preliminary negative and one
sample is positive.
|
| Princeton
Post office in West Windsor will remain closed pending additional
environmental sampling results. Although not recommended, workers
at the Princeton Post Office were offered 10 days of antibiotics
over the weekend. |
| Route
130 Mail Processing Facility, Hamilton Township |
DHSS,
CDC & FBI |
34
out of 102 samples taken are positive for anthrax through final
testing. The DHSS collected 20 samples on Oct 18 in the public
areas and common use - all are negative. Also on Oct. 18, the
FBI took 23 samples (14 are positive). The DHSS and CDC team
took 59 samples (20 are positive) on Oct. 21. |
| West
Trenton facility, Ewing Twp. |
DHSS
& CDC
FBI
|
All
22 samples taken Oct. 25 are negative for anthrax through
final testing.
All
20 samples taken Oct. 19 and analyzed at the United States
Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease are
preliminary negative for anthrax to date.
|
| West
Trenton facility, Ewing Twp. (areas outside the facility) |
FBI |
All
15 samples taken Oct. 23 by the FBI are negative for anthrax
through final testing |
| The
West Trenton Post Office will remain closed pending final FBI
environmental sampling results from USAMRIID. Results are expected
soon. |
The
Department has a bioterrorism phone line at the Emergency Operations
Center at 609-538-6030 that is open between 8 am and 11 pm until
further notice. Hearing-impaired residents with anthrax-related
concerns can contact the New Jersey Relay Center by dialing either
711 or 1-800- 852-7899.The Relay Center will convey the message
to DHSS at 609-538-6030. Information is also available on the website
at www.state.nj.us/health.
As
of today, the state laboratory has received more than 1,279
environmental samples, such as envelopes and packages, collected
by law enforcement agencies from across the state. Testing on
914 of those specimens has been completed and all are negative
for anthrax. The lab conducts preliminary (gram/spore stain) tests
and culture tests on environmental samples and on clinical samples
that meet established testing protocols.
# # # #
|
