On November 9, 2001 CAREC received three environmental swabs from Trinidad, which all tested negative for Anthrax. On November 12, 2001 four letters with powder were received from Guyana and these powders all tested negative for Anthrax. As of November 15, 2001 CAREC received eight suspicious envelopes without powder, nine envelopes with powder and three environmental swabs and they all tested negative for Anthrax.

The anthrax situation in the United States

Since November 7, 2001 no new cases of bioterrorism-related anthrax infection has been identified. As of November 15, CDC reported 22 cases of anthrax, 17 confirmed (10 inhalation and 7 cutaneous) and 5 suspected cutaneous cases. Four of the 10 confirmed inhalation anthrax cases died. The reports were from Washington DC, New Jersey, New York and Florida.

As of November 15, 2001, CDC has confirmed two isolates as B. anthracis on the outer surface of letters sent in State Department pouches to the U.S. Embassy in Peru. These letters had been processed at the U.S. State Department mail sorting facility where a case of inhalational anthrax occurred. There have been no confirmed cases in persons from countries other than the USA.

Caribbean Epidemiology Centre
16-18 Jamaica Boulevard, Federation Park
P.O. Box 164, Port of Spain
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Tel: (868) 622-4261, Fax: (868) 622-2792
E-mail: postmaster@carec.paho.org

Page last modified 16 November, 2001