The Pentagon said Friday that there were more accidental deliveries of live anthrax spores to U.S. and overseas laboratories than originally thought and that it had ordered an in-depth review.
Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steven Warren said live anthrax was shipped to 24 laboratories in 11 U.S. states, South Korea and Australia.
The Pentagon had reported Thursday that a U.S. military laboratory in Utah accidentally sent live anthrax spores to civilian commercial labs in nine U.S. states and a military lab in South Korea.
In his statement Friday, Warren said Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work had ordered a "comprehensive review" of the Pentagon's laboratory procedures, processes and "protocols associated with inactivating spore-forming anthrax."
Warren also said there was "no known risk to the general public and an extremely low risk to lab workers" from the inadvertent shipments, and that the Department of Defense was working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in investigating the shipments.
Contact with live anthrax can lead to a severe, flu-like illness that can be fatal if not treated early.
The Pentagon said Thursday that it had stopped shipping anthrax spores while the incident was being investigated.
Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steven Warren said live anthrax was shipped to 24 laboratories in 11 U.S. states, South Korea and Australia.
The Pentagon had reported Thursday that a U.S. military laboratory in Utah accidentally sent live anthrax spores to civilian commercial labs in nine U.S. states and a military lab in South Korea.
In his statement Friday, Warren said Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work had ordered a "comprehensive review" of the Pentagon's laboratory procedures, processes and "protocols associated with inactivating spore-forming anthrax."
Warren also said there was "no known risk to the general public and an extremely low risk to lab workers" from the inadvertent shipments, and that the Department of Defense was working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in investigating the shipments.
Contact with live anthrax can lead to a severe, flu-like illness that can be fatal if not treated early.
The Pentagon said Thursday that it had stopped shipping anthrax spores while the incident was being investigated.
voanews.com
29/5/15
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Pentagon admits 24 US labs, 2 foreign states received live anthrax shipments...
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Earlier this week it was revealed that US Army’s Dugway Proving Ground in Utah had shipped live anthrax to labs in nine states, and to a US military base in South Korea.
With the new discoveries, the Pentagon is urging all those who received such shipments to stop working with those samples, until further notice from the US authorities. The shipment of supposedly deactivated anthrax specimens reportedly began in March 2014 and continued through April 2015. These samples were mistakenly marked inactive..........http://rt.com/usa/263393-pentagon-live-anthrax-shipments/
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Carter Vows to Find Those Responsible for Anthrax Shipment ...
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He said the Pentagon is working to limit any public health consequences and working to ensure that it never happens again.
The U.S. military said on Friday that there were more accidental deliveries of live anthrax spores than originally thought.
Officials say that live anthrax samples, from a U.S. military laboratory in the state of Utah, were shipped to 24 laboratories in 11 U.S. states and two foreign countries — South Korea and Australia...........http://www.voanews.com/content/us-defense-chief-pentagon-to-find-those-responsible-for-anthrax-shipment/2802068.html
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