America prepares for smallpox attack
The US Government has started emergency preparations for a possible terrorist smallpox attack, it was revealed today.
Doctors are being trained to recognise the disease and crack teams of experts have been vaccinated, ready to rush to any part of the country and deal with an outbreak.
The move follows growing panic about bioterrorism in the US after the recent anthrax attacks which have killed four people.
The Centres for the Disease Control and Prevention has immunised about 140 members of epidemiological teams against smallpox, the New York Times reported.
The disease centres will this week start training their staff and state and local health workers about how to deal with the disease.
CDCP director Dr James Hughes said: ‘‘Our concerns are not to be limited to anthrax.’’
Officals are also worried about possible attacks involving other diseases, including botulism, plague and tularemia.
But smallpox is especially feared because it is extremely contagious and has a high death rate.
The disease was eradicated worldwide 21 years ago, and millions of Americans under the age of 30 are at risk because the US stopped vaccinations in 1972.
Older people who were immunised a long time ago may also be susceptible to smallpox because the vaccine may have worn off.
Only a few hundred doctors in the US have seen a case of smallpox, when they took part in the World Health Organisation’s programme to eradicate the disease years ago.
Yesterday US President George Bush moved to calm fears about the anthrax attacks terrorising the nation.
Investigators were learning new information about the attacks every day, he said, following mounting criticism over the government’s response to the threat.
‘‘The government is swiftly testing post offices and other sites for anthrax spores, and is closing them where potential threats to health are detected,’’ Mr Bush said during his weekly radio address to the nation.
‘‘We are working to protect people based on the best information available.’’
His comments came after the FBI admitted last week it had made no progress in the probe into the attacks.
Mr Bush urged the public to remain calm but diligent in their response to the threat.
‘‘More than 30 billion pieces of mail have moved through the Postal Service since September 11, so we believe the odds of any one piece of mail being tainted are very low.’’
‘‘But still, people should take appropriate precautions. Look carefully at your mail before opening it, tell your doctor if you believe you may have been exposed to anthrax.’’
‘‘As we learn more about these anthrax attacks, the government will share the confirmed and credible information we have with you.’’
There have been 17 anthrax infections in the US in recent weeks. Ten of those cases involved inhalation anthrax and resulted in four deaths. Seven cases of skin anthrax also have been confirmed.
Fears were fuelled of widespread infection this week after a woman in New York who had no apparent contact with an anthrax-laced letter died and the spores were found in two midwestern states.
