Military Sent Live Anthrax To 9 States

The U.S. Military sent live anthrax to 9 states. The live anthrax cultures were reportedly sent to 18 different labs. One of the bacteria samples was shipped to Osan Air Base in South Korea. Military officials have also revealed that 22 Air Force personnel who “may” have been exposed to the deadly bacteria sent to South Korea are receiving medical treatment as a precaution.

The live anthrax sent to nine states is just the latest incident involving potentially deadly mishaps at federal labs. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, approximately 85 CDC workers were exposed to live anthrax after staffers unknowingly transported samples from one lab to other facilities. The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee held a hearing regarding the anthrax incident to investigate how such a mistake could have occurred. CDC Director Thomas Frieden was called to testify about “numerous other incidents” over the past 10 years involving the mishandling of deadly microbes.

CDC researchers reportedly sent a virulent strain of the bird flu to a USDA lab in Georgia by mistake in early 2014.

“Each layer we peel back in this investigation seems to reveal a new instance of carelessness in the CDC’s management of dangerous pathogens,” Representative Tim Murphy said. Murphy is a Republican Representative from Pennsylvania who also heads the House Energy and Commerce oversight subcommittee.

According to statements from the Atlanta-based CDC, the 18 labs in nine states received the bacillus anthracis specimens from the U.S. Army’s Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. The U.S. Military reportedly sent live anthrax to labs in California, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The exact location of the labs where the live anthrax was sent have not yet been released to the public — and may never be revealed. CDC officials have only said that the labs which received the live anthrax “are mostly private and some are operated by government and public institutions.”

Rutgers biosafety expert Richard Ebright called the mistake “gross negligence.”

“There is absolutely no excuse. Not for the shipping institution. Not for receiving institutions that failed to confirm inactivation upon receipt. Both should lose, irrevocably, authorization for work with active or inactivated select agents.”

Army Colonel Steve Warren told the media that all 22 Air Force members in Osan are being treated with the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin. The armed forces members receiving treatment for possible anthrax exposure include 10 soldiers, five airmen, four contractors, and three government employees.

The follow is an excerpt from an Air Force statement about the live anthrax shipments.

“All personnel were provided appropriate medical precautionary measures to include examinations, antibiotics and, in some instances, vaccinations. None of the personnel have shown any signs of possible exposure.”

The live anthrax shipped to South Korea was reportedly destroyed by a hazardous materials team. The lab facility in Osan was cordoned off and decontaminated. The Pentagon reportedly intended for the anthrax samples to be to develop a “field-based test to identify biological threats in the environment.”

The live anthrax sent to nine states by mistake will be transferred back to regional labs or the CDC for additional testing.

What do you think about the U.S. Military sending live anthrax to 19 states?

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