October 29, 2001	Monday	Shaba'an 11, 1422

RIYADH, Oct 28: Saudi Arabia has formed a committee to combat anthrax, newspapers reported on Sunday amid new bio-terror scare cases in the kingdom.

The committee headed by a health ministry undersecretary will coordinate with relevant government departments to draw up a contingency plan to tackle the killer disease, Al-Watan daily said, quoting government sources.

The kingdom, which has examined 27 parcels containing suspicious white powder, has been hit with two more anthrax scare cases in the south and east of the country. A local aluminium factory in Dammam in the oil-rich eastern province was evacuated after receiving four envelopes containing white powder, the English-language Arab News reported.

A Filipino secretary who opened the envelopes was rushed to hospital for examination for anthrax infection. But he was later discharged after tests showed negative results.

The newspaper quoted an employee as saying that one of the letters contained a note saying that “anthrax spores are being sent to you.”

A letter was addressed to the general manager of the factory and three others to top executives. The management reported the case to local authorities.

In another case, authorities in the southern Assir province conducted urgent anthrax tests on a health employee who received an envelope containing white powder.

The employee found a note in the envelope saying “Congratulations on the new guest: the anthrax.”

Governor of Assir province Prince Khaled al-Faisal said tests on the powder were negative.

Health Minister Osama Shobokshi said Saturday that 27 mail parcels containing suspicious white powder have been examined in past days, adding that initial tests had been negative.

Saudi Arabia was hit with an anthrax scare for the first time last Wednesday when three parcels containing a suspicious white powder arrived in the capital and in the western city of Jeddah.

The kingdom is the third Gulf Arab country after Bahrain and Kuwait to be hit by the worldwide anthrax scare, following transmission of the disease through suspect mail that has killed three people in the United States.—AFP