LONDON, Oct 16: Twelve workers at the London stock exchange were taken for hospital tests and 400 staff evacuated from a postal office in northern England on Tuesday amid fears of anthrax attacks in Britain.

A spokesman for the stock exchange — at the heart of London’s financial district — said police were called in after a suspect package was received.

“As a purely security measure, 12 people were taken to hospital for tests though they were showing no symptoms at all,” he said.

A postal sorting office in the northern English city of Liverpool was evacuated after staff discovered what was described as “a suspect package”.

Chemicals experts were called in and the area sealed off, but a postal spokeswoman could not confirm reports that a white powder had been found leaking from the package.

The scares came in the wake of four confirmed cases of anthrax in the US and after Washington police confirmed that a letter containing anthrax bacteria was received by the US Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle’s office on Monday.

Companies across Britain have warned office workers to take care when opening letters, looking out for any tell-tale signs — misspelt addresses, strange greasy markings or unexpected parcels from anonymous senders.

British Health Secretary Alan Milburn told parliament that while he understood fears about possible anthrax or other bio-terror attacks, there was no need for public panic.

“As we have seen from events in America, the result of anthrax attacks has been to spread fear amongst a large number of people. I know that many people on both sides of the Atlantic fear the prospect of further terrorist attacks,” he said.

“But it is important that fear does not win. Fear is the terrorist’s victory, and I repeat again there is no need for public panic.”

London’s Scotland Yard police headquarters said it was reminding people to be vigilant, particularly when opening mail.

Britain is expected to set out contingency plans this week for how healthcare workers should react to a germ warfare attack.

Prime Minister Tony Blair’s official spokesman said the government had no evidence of a real risk of attack.

Information has been circulated to public health officials and doctors about how to detect and treat any outbreak.

Canadian parliament: A section of Canada’s parliamentary complex was evacuated and cordoned off Monday in an apparent anthrax scare.

The government’s chief whip, Marlene Catterall, told the House of Commons that the scare was being investigated and that it affected only a part of the Parliament Hill complex.

The regular business of parliament was not interrupted.

Australian embassy: : Emergency services rushed to Australia’s embassy in Washington on Tuesday after staff became concerned over a “suspicious” envelope delivered by mail in the latest of a string of global anthrax scares.

Embassy officials called for help after the discovery of a “suspicious looking envelope,” but no evacuation order was given, an embassy source said.

Sixteen buildings across Australia, including US and British consulates, were hit by anthrax scares on Monday.

SUSPICIOUS LETTERS: Croatia’s health ministry said Tuesday three letters suspected of being contaminated with anthrax bacteria had been sent for a microbiological analysis, national radio reported.