Americans taking drugs against anthrax close to 10,000
The number of Americans taking anthrax antibiotics at the Government's advice is nearing 10,000.
The US postal service is preparing to issue masks and gloves for its 800,000 employees and is testing ways to sterilize the mail.
This is after health officials announced a deal had been made with the Bayer Corporation to buy 100 million tablets of Cipro.
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson says the Government will purchase the antibiotic for 65p a pill, about half its normal price.
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention spokeswoman Kay Golan says the number of people the Government now has taking Cipro or other antibiotics against anthrax is approaching 10,000.
Several others have obtained medication from private consultants.
Since the anthrax crisis began, two postal workers in Washington and a photo editor in Florida have died.
There are 15 patients in the Washington area with symptoms of anthrax and all possibly linked to a letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.
Six cases of skin anthrax, a less dangerous form of the disease, have been diagnosed.
These mostly are connected to mail sent to US TV networks or to newspapers.
