News / Military

Pentagon: 51 labs may have received live anthrax

Wednesday, 03 June 2015 11:18 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 04 June 2015 12:32 AM ]

The Pentagon says it has accidentally sent live anthrax spores to at least 51 labs in 17 states and three countries.

The Pentagon says it has accidentally sent live anthrax spores to at least 51 labs in 17 states across the United States and three countries.

According to the Pentagon, potentially live samples of anthrax were sent from a military lab at Dugway Proving Ground (DPG) Army facility in Utah.

"We expect this number may rise," Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work said on Wednesday at a Pentagon briefing. "We will update these numbers daily until all the investigation is complete."

Suspected samples were received by California, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Ohio and North Carolina, as well as the District of Columbia.

Labs in South Korea, Australia and Canada also received suspect samples.

The labs were supposed to receive dead anthrax samples for research use.

Potentially live samples of anthrax were sent from a military lab in Utah.

Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren said last week the military was working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to retrieve the samples.

At least 22 members of American forces in South Korea may have been exposed to live anthrax spores, US Forces Korea (USFK), which is a sub-unified command of United States Pacific Command (USPACOM), said on May 28.

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