Anthrax:  U.S. Postal Service Installs New Detection System at Baltimore Facility

The U.S. Postal Service has installed a new anthrax detection system at its Baltimore mail processing center, the Baltimore Sun reported yesterday (see GSN, July 14).

The system, which is currently being tested at postal facilities in 15 cities, works by testing the air surrounding mail-handling equipment for anthrax spores.  If spores are detected, the system automatically sends an e-mail to designated officials who then will use fire alarms to alert workers, according to the Sun.

The postal service has entered into a $175 million contract with Northrop Grumman to install the new detection system in all 283 U.S. mail processing centers next year (Scott Shane, Baltimore Sun, July 23).

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U.S.-South Korea:  Washington and Seoul Collaborate on Biological Defense

The United States and South Korea have established a joint panel to address the threat of biological and chemical weapons attacks, Yonhap News Agency reported today (see GSN, July 17).

The agreement on the effort was signed by South Korean Health and Welfare Minister Kim Hwa-joong and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson (Yonhap News Agency/Asia Pulse, July 23).

Other joint public health initiatives will also be covered by the agreement, according to the HHS.

“As we jointly tackle enhanced infectious disease research, we’ll be doing more than just strengthening our own ties — we’ll be creating a healthier global community,” Thompson said (Health and Human Services release, July 22).

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United States:  Engineer Convicted of Making Ricin

A federal jury in Washington state convicted a computer engineer of making and possessing ricin in an effort to kill his wife, the Los Angeles Times reported today (see GSN, July 2).

In her July 1 opening statement, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Whitaker said Kenneth Olsen possessed enough powdered ricin, which is produced from castor beans, to kill up to 7,500 people (Los Angeles Times, July 18).

Olsen’s sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14 and each of the two counts against him carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine (Associated Press/CNN.com, July 18).

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