Golez allays anthrax jitters, says no threat of bioterror attack

Baguio City — National Security Adviser Roilo Golez assured the public anew yesterday that there is no "direct threat" of a chemical or biological attack on the country.

"There is no direct threat of chemical or biological attack in the country. We are not worried about that," Golez said even as persistent fears of a biological attack struck Filipinos after several cases of anthrax infection were reported in the US and Europe.

Golez made the assurance as Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit Jr. prepared to go to the US to consult with US bacteriologists and virologists on possible biochemical attacks.

Dayrit, during his confirmation hearings before Congress, had earlier stressed that anthrax, which has been in the country a long time, is a disease that can easily be treated by medication readily available in the country.

Despite official assurances, however, fears of a biological attack continued to strike Baguio residents as reports of infections in the US and Europe continue to pour in.

The DOH National Epidemiology Center said Filipinos are concerned about a possible biological attack as shown by the growing number of people who have sent unopened letters to the DOH for analysis.

Physician Irene Garfil said the DOH-NEC has received 13 letters from alarmed Filipinos since Tuesday.

Grafil said her office is still receiving such letters and they are still waiting for clearance to open and examine the mail to check if these contain anthrax-laced powder similar to the ones reported in the US.

It was learned that such letters came from different post offices while some were sent by Filipinos who, for one reason or another, suspected them of containing anthrax.

At the Subic Bay Freeport, the administration building was evacuated and eight employees were quarantined on Wednesday after an alarmed executive reported that she received a letter which she thought contained anthrax.

The freeport executive said she became suspicious after she noticed that international personalities, including US President George W. Bush and Nelson Mandela, were also listed as addressees.

The letter turned out to be a subscription solicitation letter from international magazine The Economist and was meant to persuade the recipient that she should subscribe to the magazine because it had an eminent readership.

The same subscription solicitation letter was turned over to health officials in Baguio City.

In Muntinlupa, an agitated middle-aged jeepney driver rushed to a city infirmary after he inhaled violet powder which was in an envelope that a fellow jeepney driver found in his jeep.

The envelope, which was supposedly left inside the jeep by an unidentified man, apparently belonged to a "Kemikal Enterprise" and had the word "navy blue" written on it.

City health officials, however, simply advised the jeepney driver to wash his face with soap and water to relieve the itchiness of his nose and the irritation of his eyes. The man is all right and no longer had the "symptoms."

Even the House of Representatives has taken "precautionary measures" and has asked the DOH for assistance in detecting the anthrax "virus."

"We just want to be sure," said House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II. "Baka umabot din dito yung virus (The virus may reach us)."

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Cresencio Maralit agreed that it would be better to be safe than sorry.

"Wala namang masama kung magiging handa tayo (There is nothing wrong if we are prepared)," Maralit said.

At the same time, however, Maralit admitted that the PNP does not have the capability to deal with a possible biological attack, no matter how remote it may be.

The DOH, for its part, advised the public to inspect mail carefully before opening and if a person receives a letter with white powder, he should seal the letter in a plastic bag and label it "Infected Material" before bringing it to the DOH.

According to an advisory from the Department of Health, anthrax is an infectious disease of warm-blooded animals caused by Bacillus anthracis , a spore-forming bacteria.

There are three forms of anthrax contracted by humans: skin, inhalation and intestinal anthrax, all of which are curable by common modern antibiotics.

Skin anthrax is the least dangerous and is the kind of anthrax found in the country. It is transmitted through contact with tissues of infected animals or their products and is characterized by itching of the exposed part followed by a vesicle which develops into a depressed black wound within two to six days.

Inhalation anthrax is potentially deadly and is caused by inhalation of the bacteria’s spores which are airborne. It is characterized by fever, malaise, mild cough or chest pain followed by severe respiratory distress within three to five days after inhalation.

Intestinal anthrax is also potentially deadly and is caused by ingestion of contaminated, undercooked meat and is characterized by severe abdominal pain.

The DOH issued the advisory after emerging local hysteria after several cases of anthrax infection were reported in the US and Europe, supposedly part of a biological attack by terrorists.

According to news reports, a certain strain of the anthrax bacteria, in powder form, was sent by mail to several US print and broadcast journalists and even senators.