Anthrax:  Canada Releases Ship From Quarantine

Canadian officials yesterday released a Brazilian ship from quarantine off the coast of Halifax after tests determined that anthrax was not responsible for the death of an Egyptian crewman onboard (see GSN, April 29).  Brazilian officials said the cause of Ibrahim Saved Soliman Ibrahim’s death remains unknown (Shannon McCaffrey, Philadelphia Inquirer, April 30).

Back to top

Anthrax:  Dead Crewman Might Have Been Smuggling Anthrax

A Egyptian man who died on a ship bound for Canada might have been poisoned by anthrax in a suitcase he was carrying, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported today (see GSN, April 28).

Ibrahim Saved Soliman Ibrahim boarded a bauxite carrier in Brazil April 11.  He told shipmates that he was to deliver a suitcase to someone in Canada, but that he had opened the suitcase.  He said he felt sick, and he died that night while vomiting blood, according to the Inquirer.

Authorities are waiting for blood tests to determine the cause of Ibrahim’s death, but an aide to Brazilian Justice Minister Marcio Thomaz Bastos yesterday said there was a “strong suspicion” Ibrahim was carrying anthrax.

An autopsy in Brazil discovered that bacteria destroyed Ibrahim’s internal organs.

“The bacteria colonies were similar to anthrax,” said Luiz Malcher, head of the Renato Chavez Forensic Sciences Center in Belem, Brazil.  “If it isn’t anthrax, it is an extremely virulent bacteria,” he added (McCaffrey/Hall, Philadelphia Inquirer, April 29).

A Canadian official, however, cautioned against jumping to any conclusions before test results are known.

“I can assure you we’ve discovered no threat to Canada, criminally or terrorism-wise,” Royal Canadian Mounted Police Inspector Dan Tanner said yesterday.  “Right now, it’s just a story,” he said.

The ship, the Wadi al-Arab, remained in quarantine eight kilometers offshore of Halifax (Barry Dorey, Halifax Herald, April 29).

Back to top

Anthrax:  Canadian Officials Waiting for Test Results

Canadian authorities are searching for traces of anthrax in samples from a ship held in quarantine off the coast of Nova Scotia, the Globe and Mail reported Saturday (see GSN, April 25).

Results are expected late today or tomorrow, according to Tracey Taweel, a Health Canada spokeswoman.

A team of six investigators, dressed in protective suits, spent five hours taking swabs from the living quarters on the Wadi al-Arab.  The team also interviewed the 30 members of the crew.

“It’s just what we expected.  Everyone is in extremely good health,” Taweel said.

The ship was quarantined and placed under 1000-meter exclusion zone after it was discovered that the death of the ship’s chief officer might have been caused by anthrax.

“We’re in a bit of a holding pattern at this point,” she said.  “We just have to wait until we hear back from the lab about the results,” she added (Globe and Mail, April 26).

Back to top

Anthrax:  Suspicious Death Spurs Canada to Quarantine Brazilian Ship

Canadian public health officials yesterday quarantined a cargo ship from Brazil off the port of Halifax because of concerns that a crewmember onboard may have died from exposure to anthrax.

Brazilian public health officials had warned Canadian officials that a crewmember onboard the ship had died and that the possible cause of death was anthrax.  Canadian officials said the cause of death is still unknown (Agence France-Presse, April 24).

Back to top

About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines

HOME  |  CONTACT US  |  GET INVOLVED  |  SITE MAP