Pakistan hit by anthrax

KARACHI, Pakistan, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Pakistan's largest newspaper on Friday became one of two targets of anthrax attacks in the country.

The Urdu-language Daily Jang newspaper closed its editorial offices and put its editorial staff on antibiotics following confirmation that a letter received by the newspaper on Oct. 23 contained anthrax spores.

The other attack was on a computer industry-related organization.

"There have been two cases of anthrax from what I have learned so far," Maj. Gen. Rashid Qureshi, chief government spokesman, said. "One is in a newspaper office (Jang) and the other is in a computer factory or a computer laboratory."

According to the newspaper, one of its reporters received an envelope containing white powder from a social-welfare organization on Oct. 23. The powder was sent for laboratory examinations at the Aga Khan University Hospital.

In its report released Thursday, the AKUH laboratory confirmed the white powdery substance to be "anthrax spores."

"We have hired Aga Khan Hospital's microbiologists to disinfect our main editorial sections," a spokesman for the newspaper said. "They will start their job on Friday morning and it will take 24 hours to complete it."

The editorial staff has been put on antibiotics. None of the employees has been tested positive for anthrax.

"We have advised our workers to be on high alert, especially when they handle mail," the spokesman said.

The Jang's Karachi office gets more than 1,000 letters everyday, the newspaper said. Its offices in Quetta, Rawalpindi and London also received similar letters.

"Anthrax gift for you and your staff," said the letter sent to Quetta.

Anthrax attacks first hit U.S. news organizations and political leaders and have so far killed four people -- two postal workers, a photo editor and a hospital worker.