Anthrax scare at Dammam factory, staff evacuated

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By Saeed Haider, Gulf Bureau
Publication Date: 
Sun, 2001-10-28 03:00

DAMMAM, 28 October — The anthrax scare has forced administrative and managerial staff of a local factory to evacuate their offices and one of them was rushed to hospital for tests.

According to sources at the Aluminum Products Co. (ALUPCO), who spoke on condition of anonymity, four envelopes containing a suspicious white powder reached the administrative section of the factory yesterday.

A Filipino secretary who opened the covers and found the suspicious powder inside was taken to hospital for tests. Results of the test are yet to be announced.

An employee said one of the letters contained a note saying that "anthrax spores are being sent to you". It is not known where the letters came from.

One letter was addressed to the general manager of the factory and the rest to three other top management officials. Suspecting foul-play, the management immediately alerted local authorities and asked the employees in the administrative wing of the factory to vacate the premises.

However, work continued at the production units of the factory which run round the clock.

Meanwhile, another suspected anthrax case was reported at a polyclinic in Riyadh. However, the clinic’s director declined to confirm or deny the case when contacted on telephone.

Health Minister Osama Shubokshi saidyesterday that authorities were examining at least 27 suspected anthrax cases.

Twenty-seven mail parcels containing suspicious white powder have been examined in the past few days, Shubokshi told Okaz daily.

Initial tests on a number of suspected cases have been negative, he said, adding that advanced tests would be completed within the next 24 hours.

Saudi Arabia was hit with an anthrax scare for the first time on Wednesday when three parcels containing a suspicious white powder arrived in the capital and in the western city of Jeddah.

Two parcels arrived on Tuesday at the Rawda post office in east Riyadh, one from India and the other from Indonesia. The origin of the third, delivered the same day at a Jeddah factory, has not been disclosed.

Shubokshi allayed the public concern saying that his ministry had taken all precautionary measures to prevent the disease and was ready to face any emergency situation.

The ministry has also advised postal employees in the Kingdom how to deal with suspicious parcels.

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