KARACHI, Nov 6: The government agencies on the lookout for anthrax organisms in the country have not made any breakthrough as yet.

According to well-place sources, the confirmation of one anthrax case in Karachi has caused serious concern whether anthrax organisms in some quantity are in the possession of some individuals or groups in the country.

However, the sources said, the interrogation of a person whose organisation’s envelope was used for sending anthrax bacilli to a newspaper office have not met any success.

“Nothing has come out from the person questioned by us and we are convinced through interrogation that the man does not have any link with the anthrax case,” DIG Karachi Tariq Jamil said.

He said investigations were continuing to trace the individual or individuals dispatching anthrax organisms in the city.

In one of the confirmed cases, the letter was locally dispatched and the police were on the look out for those operators, he said and added that the investigations were progressing at measurable pace.

Alongside the government, the medical community has also termed the situation vis a vis receipt of anthrax cases as not of any serious concern.

The Pakistan Medical Association is in fact critical of the role played by the Western media over this disease.

Its president Prof Tipu Sultan, while expressing concern over the international media handling of the spread of anthrax hysteria has assured the people that they should not be worried about its spread as the disease is not contagious in nature.

The Centre for Disease Control in the US has recommended a number of guidelines for handling anthrax and other biological agent threats.

Many facilities in communities around the world have received anthrax threat letters. Most were empty envelopes; some have contained powdery substances. Do not panic: Anthrax organisms can cause infection in the skin, gastrointestinal system, or the lungs. To do so, the organism must be rubbed into abraded skin, swallowed, or inhaled as a fine aerosolized mist. The disease can be prevented after exposure to the anthrax spores by early treatment with the appropriate antibiotics. Anthrax does not spread from one person to another.

for anthrax to be effective as a covert agent, it must be aerosolized into very small particles. This is difficult to do, and requires a great deal of technical skill and special equipment. If these small particles are inhaled, life-threatening lung infection can occur, but prompt recognition and treatment are effective.

The following are other CDC guidelines: Suspicious unopened letters or package marked with threatening message such as ”ANTHRAX”:

Do not open, shake or empty the contents of any suspicious envelope or package.

Place the envelope or package in a plastic bag or some other type of container to prevent leakage of contents.

If you do not have any container, then cover the envelope or package with anything (eg clothing, paper, trash-can, etc) and do not remove this cover.

Then leave the room and close the door, or suction off the area to prevent other from entering.

Wash your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder to your face.

If you are at home, then report the incident to a physician, hospital emergency room, or public health official.

If you are at work, then report the incident to your building security official or an available supervisor.

List all people who were in the room or area when this suspicious letter of package was recognised. Give this list to both the local public health authorities and law enforcement officials for follow-up investigations and advice.

Envelope with powder and powder spills out onto surface:

Do not try to clean up the powder. cover the spilled contents immediately with anything (eg clothing, paper, rash can, etc) and do not remove this cover.

Then leave the room and close the door, or suction off the area to prevent others from entering.

Wash your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder to your face.

Remove heavily contaminated clothing as soon as possible and place in a plastic bag or some other container that can be sealed. This clothing bag should be given to the emergency responders for proper handling. Shower with soap and water as soon as possible. Do not use bleach or other disinfectant on your skin.

If possible list all people who were in the room or area, specially those who had actual contact with the powder. Give this list to both the local public health authorities so that proper instructions can be given for medical follow-up, and to law enforcement officials for further investigation.

Question of room contamination by aerosolization:

For example, small device triggered, warning that air handling system is contaminated, or warning that a biological agent released in a public space.

Turn off local fans or ventilation units in the area.

Leave the area immediately.

If you are at a home, then report the incident to a physician, hospital emergency room or public health official.

If you are at work, notify your building security official or an available supervisor.

Shut down air handling system in the building, if possible.

If possible, list all people who were in the room area. Give this list to both the local public health authorities so that proper instructions can be given for medical follow-up, and to law enforcement officials for further investigations.

How to identify suspicious packages and letters:

Some characteristics of suspicious packages and letters include the following:

Excessive postage; handwritten or poorly typed addresses; incorrect titles; title, but no name; misspellings of common words; oily stains, discolouration or odour; no return address; excessive weight; lopsided or uneven envelope; protruding wires or aluminium foil; excessive security material such as masking tape, string etc; visual distractions; ticking sound; marked with restrictive endorsements, such as “Personal” or “Confidential”; shows a city or state in the postmark that does not match the return address.