A third case of anthrax has been found in Florida and some claim there’s an Iowa connection. Governor Tom Vilsack says there’s been NO confirmation yet that anthrax in Iowa is in any way connected with the cases in Florida, but at 9:15 last night Vilsack announced he’d ordered state troopers and local law enforcement to guard the anthrax that’s here. He says they’re precautionary measures taken to ensure Iowans that the state is safe.
Vilsack talked with the White House, the F-B-I and other federal law enforcement officials to pinpoint where anthrax is stored in Iowa. Vilsack won’t say where it is, or how many different places it might be. He says security will be provided for an indefinite period of time.
Vilsack says he took the action because he believes Iowans were concerned when they heard news reports suggesting the anthrax in Florida had been stolen from an Iowa lab. He says he’s pretty confident that the security will keep Iowans from being endangered from mishandling on inappropriate use of the anthrax.