Anthrax anxiety hits NZ

By ANGELA GREGORY and FRANCESCA MOLD

Anthrax paranoia is reaching New Zealand as Government agencies, American businesses and embassy outposts take steps to reduce infection risks to workers.

Police, Customs and New Zealand Post staff are reinforcing procedures for dealing with suspicious packages in light of growing United States fears that the potentially deadly disease is being spread as part of a terrorist plot.

But Prime Minister Helen Clark yesterday stressed that there was no evidence to suggest New Zealand was a likely target of terrorists waging biological war.

"Don't jump at shadows," she advised the public last night. But asked about risks through the post, the Prime Minister said: "Certainly, do not sniff anything that looks like a pile of white dust in your mail."

Since last week, 12 Americans either have had anthrax or been exposed to the bacterium, including a newspaper photo editor who died of the inhaled form - the first anthrax death in the US for 25 years.

It was thought those infected were exposed to anthrax through a white powder contained in letters.

A top Government official blamed bio-terrorists. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson described anthrax-contaminated mail as bio-terrorism, but said it was too early to blame the al Qaeda network of Islamic militant Osama bin Laden.

Discoveries of unusual powders have provoked alerts in Britain, Austria, Brazil and Australia.

Last night, Australian Prime Minister John Howard said there had been 16 reports and all had proved to be false alarms.

NZ Post has now issued gloves to its workers who open returned overseas mail in an attempt to find the local sender's address.

Anthrax project coordinator Dale Stevens said other staff were to be briefed yesterday, although there was thought to be no risk to them.

Those who remained concerned about handling mail would be offered gloves.

Mr Stevens said NZ Post had taken the extra steps after seeking advice from Occupational Safety and Health, and the Ministry of Health.

Leoni Lee, of the returned-letter office, said she would take charge of opening mail - usually 200 letters a day - that was sent back from overseas without a return address.

She wore gloves and felt each package before opening and inspecting it.

A Customs spokeswoman, Janice Rodenburg, said staff at the International Mailing Centre at Auckland Airport had been reminded yesterday to take precautions in light of the overseas anthrax scare. "They have been reminded of the procedures about how to handle any at-risk material."

Helen Clark said there was no information to suggest NZ would be a target of any terrorist attacks, including the use of biological warfare. "But we are not complacent."

As a precaution, medical experts were reviewing their ability to deal with biological and chemical agents which could be used by terrorists.

Officials had consulted chemical and biological experts about toxic agents and reviewed security on the basis of their advice.

The Ministry of Health said there were several antibiotics available in NZ to treat anthrax. The Deputy Director-General of Public Health, Dr Don Matheson, said public health and systems were in place to deal with an emergency.


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