WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- U.S. public health officials underestimated the risk of the 2001 anthrax mailings, according to a new government report.
The Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of the U.S. Congress, released findings Thursday that medical help for postal authorities was delayed too long after letters containing anthrax spores were discovered.
The review focused on the postal facilities where the four letters -- to Senate Majority Leader Daschle and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., along with members of the news media -- were handled in September and October 2001, which resulted in 22 cases of anthrax including five that proved fatal.
The postal service is in the process of installing equipment aimed at detecting future attacks.
