TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Reuters) - A co-worker of the Florida man who died of anthrax last week has tested positive for the extremely rare disease that experts say could be used as a biological warfare agent, officials said on Monday.Health officials last week described the case of the man who died as an isolated one and not a biological attack. But the United States is on edge after the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington and the FBI said on Monday it was urgently investigating the source of the infections.
``Every step is being taken to quickly identify the bacteria's source and determine how the two individuals were infected,'' the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. ''The FBI is taking this very, very seriously,'' Florida Gov. Jeb Bush told reporters. ``This is the new reality. We've talked about these biological and chemical agents being part of some terrorist arsenal and whether it is in this case or not, we have to be prepared for it. It needs to be a much higher priority than it has been in the past.''
State health officials said the second case, a man in his 70s whom they did not identify, tested positive but was not ill with anthrax. He was being treated with antibiotics at an undisclosed hospital.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters on Monday, ``The president was informed last night and it's one of the issues of course that the president is going to continue to monitor.''
``The FBI statement last night said they are investigating. There is no evidence to suggest anything yet. That's why the FBI is investigating,'' Fleischer said.
Health officials declined to speculate on the origin of the cases of the anthrax, a very rare and deadly bacterial disease spread by spores and generally confined to sheep, cattle, horses, goats and pigs. The disease is not contagious.
``A gentleman who worked with the other patient had a cotton swab taken of his nose and that tested positive but he does not have the illness,'' said Frank Penela, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Health.
ANTHRAX DETECTED ON KEYBOARD
State health officials said anthrax had been detected on the computer keyboard of the dead man, 63-year-old Robert Stevens, who worked as a photographer on the supermarket tabloid The Sun based in Boca Raton. (Read photo caption)
Stevens contracted pulmonary anthrax, which has not been seen in the United States since 1976, and died last Friday after being admitted to a hospital earlier in the week.
The building where the two men worked was closed on Monday and was to be examined by health and law enforcement personnel. Workers and visitors to the building in recent weeks were asked to contact health officials. The building houses offices of American Media Inc., a publisher of supermarket tabloids.
News of the second case came as the United States was on high alert for possible attacks by the al Qaeda network associated with Saudi exile Osama bin Laden. Washington blames bin Laden and al Qaeda for the Sept. 11 attacks that killed more than 5,500 people.
PHOTO CAPTION:
A co-worker of the Florida man who died of anthrax last week has tested positive for the extremely rare disease that experts say could be used as a biological warfare agent, officials said October 8, 2001. Boca Raton police stand guard at the entrance to American Media Inc., the company which publishes the supermarket tabloid 'The Sun', and where both men were employed. The building was closed and was to be examined by health and law enforcement personnel. (Colin Braley/Reuters)