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Sent out by mistake ... A security fence surrounds the main part of the Dugway Proving Ground in Dugway, Utah, where live Anthrax was moved. Picture: George Frey / Getty Images Source: AFP
US authorities investigating the mistaken shipment of live anthrax by a military laboratory say a batch of the lethal bacteria was sent to Australia in 2008.
The revelation suggested a wider problem in the handling of anthrax samples that were supposed to be rendered inactive by irradiation at a US Army facility in Utah.
Military and health officials launched a probe after a commercial lab in Maryland last week found a live sample of anthrax in a shipment from the army’s Dugway Proving Ground, near Salt Lake City.
Sent to Australia ... the US is investigating how the unauthorised samples of Anthrax were sent. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
The Pentagon acknowledged on Thursday that at least 18 government, university and commercial laboratories received suspected live samples of anthrax from a batch irradiated in March 2014.
Samples from that batch were distributed to various labs for research in nine states as well as at the US military’s Osan air base in South Korea.
But on Friday, officials said the investigation turned up another batch of live anthrax, which was meant to be made inactive or “dead†in 2008.
It was not clear precisely when samples from the 2008 batch were sent out or where the samples were sent to — apart from Australia, officials said.
“We are still trying to figure out where the samples were sent,†a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity told AFP.
Sent to Australia ... Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno says human error probably was not a factor in the Army's mistaken shipment of live anthrax samples. Picture: AP / Cliff Owen Source: AP
US military and health authorities insisted there was no threat posed to public health and no suspected cases of infection.
Four lab workers in the states of Texas, Delaware and Wisconsin had been put on antibiotics as a precaution, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
In addition, 22 military and civilian personnel were also placed under preventive treatment at Osan air base in South Korea, the Pentagon said.
Politicians earlier voiced alarm over the mishap involving the 2014 batch of anthrax, and demanded army officials explain what went wrong.
“While the Army says it is confident no one has been harmed, it needs to tell us what is being done immediately to prevent this from happening again,†Senator Bill Nelson said in a letter to Army secretary John McHugh.