Four new anthrax scares include one at British embassy in Dublin

Four suspect anthrax cases were dealt with by the Army yesterday, including one at the British embassy in Dublin.

Reports of suspect mail were received from the Celtic Linen plant in Arklow, Co Wicklow, the offices of the Munster Express in Waterford, and a private house in Portmarnock, Co Dublin, all of which were initially investigated by the Garda, who in turn called in an Army bomb disposal team.

A further two cases were "stood down" by garda∅ who considered it unnecessary to summon the Army. In all, almost 20 people were treated for possible contamination, including eight who had come into contact with a suspicious package at the British embassy.

Since the first suspected case was reported to the Garda in Sligo on October 16th, 92 cases have been investigated by the garda∅. In 70 of these the Army was notified and anti-contamination measures were put in place.

These involved sealing off a number of private homes, businesses and a Garda station. Those who may have come into contact with suspected anthrax have been given decontamination showers and their clothes have been removed for analysis. The Army took the 70 suspected letters or parcels to Dublin's Cherry Orchard Hospital, where they were given a preliminary examination.

The hospital referred 61 cases for additional testing at Porton Down in England. Up to yesterday, 52 results had been returned from England, all of them negative. Attempts to tackle suspected cases are co-ordinated by a team made up of members of the Garda, Defence Forces and officials of the Department of Health.