ANTHRAX IS BACK: U.S. Military accidentally ships live anthrax

Investigations looking into possible contamination are underway.

Some samples negligently sent by the U.S. Military contained live anthrax. Four lab workers from the United States and about 22 overseas, who come in contact with the shipment, are placed into post-exposure treatment, according to a defense official.

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - According to CNN, a Maryland-based laboratory received the samples that contained live anthrax and alerted officials to conduct investigations to determine if there were anymore shipments with the same samples.

Concerns grew as the tested samples in a laboratory located in Utah, where all the shipments came from, were determined to also contain live agents.

Because the shipments were believed to contain dead anthrax samples, they were transported under less meticulous and rigorous conditions permitted through FedEx for routine research.

The company issued a statement that they will be cooperating with the investigations, although they did not directly confirm the news.

"FedEx is committed to the safe transport of all customer shipments, and our priority is the safety of our employees. We will be working closely with the Department of Defense and the Centers for Disease Control to gather information about these shipments," said spokesman Jim McCluskey.

Scientists explained to the Department of Defense that the shipping had no risk against the public, but they placed those who had handled the samples under the post-exposure treatment.

"The sample was destroyed in accordance with appropriate protocols," said Pentagon spokesman, Col. Steve Warren. He confirmed that one sample was sent to the Joint United States Forces Korea Portal and Integrated Threat Recognition Program at Osan Air Base in South Korea.

There were up to 22 people from the training laboratory exposed and all personnel were provided appropriate medical precautionary measures. None of them were found to have positive signs of exposure, according to a statement from the base.

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