Traces of anthrax were found in five more Senate offices in the Hart Senate office building where a letter containing the bacteria was opened on October 15, Capitol Police announced on Sunday.
Anthrax spores were found in the offices of Senators Max Baucus,Russ Feingold, Joe Lieberman, Barbara Mikulski and Arlen Specter,said Lt. Dan Nichols, a spokesman for the Capitol Police.
Officials believe the anthrax found is linked to the anthrax-laden letter received by Senate majority leader Tom Daschle on October 15, Nichols said.
"These findings are not unexpected because investigators are continuing to follow the downstream flow of mail within the Senateand it is believed that letters delivered to these offices were cross-contaminated by the Saschle letter," he said.
John Eisold, the Capitol physician, said the trace amounts of anthrax pose no health risk and no further testing or treatment isnecessary for office workers or visitors.
The Hart building closed on October 17, two days after Daschle's office received the anthrax letter. Half of all 100 U.S. senators have office space in the structure.
( Xinhua News Agency 11/12/2001)
