Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Anyone in Kosciusko County who needs to report receiving a suspicious letter or package should NOT call the hospital or health department.
Call local law enforcement.
"That's their first point of contact," said Bob Weaver, Kosciusko County Health Department administrator, this morning. "They should not call the hospital. They shouldn't even contact the health department."
Weaver said the Indiana Department of Health has guidelines that need to be followed in case of suspicious packages. Law enforcement needs to be contacted first because if there is a contaminant in the letter or package, it will be treated as a crime. If and only if there is a contaminant and someone is infected, the health department will then get involved to coordinate the treatment.
According to the Indiana Department of Health, the most important thing is to stay calm. For anthrax to affect a person, the organism that causes the disease must be inhaled as a fine aerosol mist, must be swallowed or must get into a cut or abrasion on the skin.
For anthrax to be an effective weapon, it has to be aerosol-ized into very small particles and inhaled in larger quantities, something that is difficult to accomplish.
If a person does receive a suspicious package that may contain chemical or biological substances, the Indiana Department of Health and State Emergency Management Agency suggest the following:
• Do not open suspicious packages.
• If the package has been opened but is not leaking, place it in a sealed container.
• If there is leakage, cover the package and stay in the room to prevent spreading the substance.
• Wash hands well with soap and water.
• Contact local law enforcement and follow their instructions.
• Testing of exposed persons is not needed. The suspicious substance will be tested, if necessary, to determine if treatment will be needed.
"I'd say we received 30 to 40 pieces of mail that people are suspicious of. Obviously, some of them are more credible than others," Weaver said.
Not every "suspicious" letter or package goes to the state for testing. Only high-risk letters or packages are transported to the state, and high-risk is considered non-solicited items contaminated by a foreign substance.
He said, "If law enforcement feels there is a credible threat, they can transport it to the state level for testing."
Local law enforcement has transported three samples to the state. Two were tested negative and one is still in the process of being tested.
"All of these involved commercial concerns," said Weaver. "These weren't private residences."
From everything he has heard and read, Weaver said, the chance of anyone actually receiving a contaminant is "extremely low." That's not to say people shouldn't use common sense, he said, especially when it comes to unsolicited mail, but people should not panic, either.
Several people have dropped off suspicious packages or letters at the health department. When that has occurred, Weaver said, he takes it to the sheriff's department.
"What we're talking about is potential criminal activity," he said.
Anyone who makes an anthrax threat violates state and federal law. A threat of bioterrorism is a serious offense and will be investigated thoroughly and prosecuted, according to the Indiana Department of Health.
