A New Jersey woman postal worker has been diagnosed with inhalation anthrax, and the US Justice Department says the bacteria has been discovered at an off-site centre that processes its mail.
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention spokesman Mr Tom Skinner stressed that the incident in New Jersey, involving the most serious form of the disease, was not a new case, but one that had been listed as suspected. Lab tests confirmed the diagnosis, he said.
There have been 14 confirmed anthrax infections in the United States in the recent outbreak, linked to contaminated letters sent to media outlets and a US senator. Three people have died from inhalation anthrax and five are in hospital. Six people in New York and New Jersey are being treated for the less dangerous skin form of anthrax, and a few other cases are suspected.
At least five New Jersey postal workers have suspected or confirmed cases of anthrax. Anthrax-tainted letters sent to Washington and New York originated there.
Tests continued at postal and government offices in the nation's capital and elsewhere. Officials were trying to determine whether other tainted letters were in the mail system.
Last night, the Justice Department revealed that several locations in a suburban Maryland postal centre that processes its mail tested positive for anthrax.
Spokeswoman Ms Susan Dryden said samples from a variety of locations within the Landover centre showed the presence of anthrax, including locations that handle mail for Attorney General Mr John Ashcroft and Deputy Attorney General Mr Larry Thompson.
Ms Dryden said mailrooms within the Justice Department had been tested for anthrax, and results are expected tomorrow.
AP