Advertisement

U.S. Army shipped anthrax samples over more than year-long period

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two U.S. Army facilities, the Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, and the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center in Maryland, mistakenly shipped suspected live anthrax samples from March 2014 through April 2015, a U.S. official said on Wednesday. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Dugway Proving Ground had reported, apparently erroneously, the inactivation of the anthrax stock in question following its treatment with gamma irradiation. The samples originated at Dugway but were also later shipped from Edgewood to U.S. federal, private and academic facilities, the official said, adding, however, that there were no suspected anthrax infections so far or risk to the general public. (Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Sandra Maler)