UPDATE: Case of anthrax poisoning believed to be from animal skin reported in Danbury, F.B.I. on the scene


STAFF REPORTS


DANBURY -- A man has contracted a case of cutaneous anthrax poisoning from African drums, Mayor Mark Boughton has told The News-Times .



An emergency staging area has been formed at the intersection of Padanaram and Jeanette Roads. Both roads have been blocked at the intersection.



The incident is located in the area of the intersection of Pembrooke and Padanaram Roads.



As of 11:35 a.m., no information about the man has been released.



Police estimate that the investigation will continue into the afternoon. Neighbors of the anthrax victim's house are currently being held at the scene.



The F.B.I. is on the scene, but officials say the situation is routine. While the investigation is ongoing, officials say the case is not believed to be anything other than a natural anthrax occurrence. Emergency crews at the scene are wearing protective clothing.



About half of the city fire department is at the scene.



Police are advising that those traveling north bypass the scene by driving north up Jeanette Road, turn right onto Stacy Road to travel north on Route 37 to New Fairfield.



A Manhattan man contracted a case of anthrax poisoning last year from handling African drums made with goat skin.



Though the disease conjures up images of bio-weapons of mass destruction, cutaneous anthrax is not contagious and is usually treated with antibiotics.



According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anthrax infection can occur in three forms: cutaneous (skin), inhalation, and gastrointestinal. B. anthracis spores can live in the soil for many years, and humans can become infected with anthrax by handling products from infected animals or by inhaling anthrax spores from contaminated animal products. Anthrax can also be spread by eating undercooked meat from infected animals.



It is rare to find infected animals in the United States.

a case of Anthrax surfaces from time to time in cattle usually in the Southwest U.S. It is more apt to happen in very dry years. I think there was a case in Texas last year or maybe the year before.

That is less then a block from my house and depending on # could be at end of property if i go through woods to end of property, not contagious though because of cutaneous so they say, but better safe then sorry.

Sorry to hear that..
.
Be careful Scott...

Thanks for the beautiful testimony...

Read yours...

Thanks and love...

Vanessa

I am and ok thank you

Thanks for the update, I hadn't heard yet.

Wow. I'll be checking the news for more info!

Stay safe, 'k?

Danbury officials have scheduled a press conference at Danbury City Hall at 3 p.m. to provide an update on the case.



As of 1 p.m., no information about the man has been released

Hey all it is 2 cases now sam family but not terroism.

UPDATED: 2:10 p.m.

Two members of a Danbury family have contracted a case of cutaneous anthrax poisoning.

At least one of those two people, a man, contracted the anthrax from African drums, Mayor Mark Boughton has told The News-Times .

William Gerrish, the spokesman from the state Department of Public Health, has confirmed that the two cases in Fairfield County are from the same family.

Both the F.B.I. and Gerrish told The News-Times that the cases are not terrorism.

Neighbors have told The News-Times that the Danbury house being investigated by officials is 69 Pembroke Rd.

The current tenant of 69 Pembroke Rd. is Ase-

AmenRa Kariamu, according to Donald Lombardo, the owner of the house.
According to Lombardo, Kariamu lives there with his wife and family.

Kariamu is a renowned African drummer who is also a drum maker and restorer who teaches African drumming at the Danbury Music Centre. It is not officially known at this hour if Kariamu is involved directly in the case of anthrax.

An emergency staging area has been formed at the intersection of Padanaram and Jeanette Roads. Both roads have been blocked at the intersection.

The incident is located in the area of the intersection of Pembroke and Padanaram Roads.

Danbury officials have scheduled a press conference at Danbury City Hall at 3 p.m. to provide an update on the case.

As of 1 p.m., no information about the man has been released by the city.

Police estimate that the investigation will continue into the afternoon. Neighbors of the anthrax victim's house are currently being held at the scene.

The F.B.I. is on the scene, but officials say the situation is routine. While the investigation is ongoing, officials say the case is not believed to be anything other than a natural anthrax occurrence. Emergency crews at the scene are wearing yellow protective clothing.

About half of the city fire department is at the scene.

Police are advising that those traveling north bypass the scene by driving north up Jeanette Road, turn right onto Stacy Road, a left onto East Pembroke, a left onto Pembroke Terrace and a right back onto Pembroke to travel north on Route 37 to New Fairfield.

In 2006, a Manhattan man from Greenwich Village contracted a case of anthrax poisoning last year from handling African drums made with goat skin. He survived, after a lengthy stay in the hospital.

Though the disease conjures up images of bio-weapons of mass destruction, cutaneous anthrax is not contagious and is usually treated with antibiotics.

Anthrax infection can occur in three forms: cutaneous (skin), inhalation, and gastrointestinal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 percent of people who become infected with cutaneous anthrax die.

The first warning sign of cutaneous anthrax is a small sore that develops into a blister. The blister then develops into a skin ulcer with a black area in the center. The sore, blister and ulcer do not hurt.

B. anthracis spores can live in the soil for many years, and humans can become infected with anthrax by handling products from infected animals or by inhaling anthrax spores from contaminated animal products. Anthrax can also be spread by eating undercooked meat from infected animals.

It is rare to find infected animals in the United States.

Darn jokack having it that close to your place must be scary even though there is little chance of it spreading. Have you ever read a book "The Coming Plague" it is a history of past epidemics including plague, smallpox and other pandemics and it talks about the possibility of future epidemics as well. It's a very interesting read.

No I haven 't forge. I am working now but ya a lil t oclose to home for me.

anthrax in Danbury, both believed to be from animal skin, traffic to clear by 6 p.m.


STAFF REPORTS

| | |

DAVID HARPLE
UPDATED: 4:24 p.m.

Two members of a Danbury family have contracted a case of cutaneous anthrax poisoning.

At least one of those two people, a man, contracted the anthrax from African drums, Mayor Mark Boughton has told The News-Times .

"I want to emphasize that cutaneous anthrax is not communicable, but we are always concerned any time anthrax pops up in the community," said Boughton during a 3 p.m. press conference at City Hall. "We still have a few more hours of work to do at the site, we expect traffic to resume in two to three hours."

William Gerrish, the spokesman from the state Department of Public Health, has confirmed that the two cases in Fairfield County are from the same family.

Both the F.B.I. and Gerrish told The News-Times that the cases are not terrorism.

Neighbors have told The

News-Times that the Danbury house being investigated by officials is a residence at 69 Pandanaram Rd.
The current tenant of 69 Pandanaram Rd. is Ase-AmenRa Kariamu, according to Donald Lombardo, the owner of the house.

According to Lombardo, Kariamu lives there with his wife and family.

Kariamu is a renowned African drummer who is also a drum maker and restorer who teaches African drumming at the Danbury Music Centre. It is not officially known at this hour if Kariamu is involved directly in the case of anthrax.

The last case of cutaneous anthrax in Connecticut is believed to be in the 1950s.

William Glass, Associate Superintendent of Danbury Public Schools, said that he has "been assured by city and medical officials that the case is not a threat to our students," and that students are safe, but that "there may be some disruption to our bus schedules due to traffic interruptions in the area."


An emergency staging area has been formed at the intersection of Padanaram and Jeanette Roads. Both roads have been blocked at the intersection.

The incident is located in the area of the intersection of Pembroke and Padanaram Roads.


Police estimate that the investigation will continue into the afternoon. Neighbors of the anthrax victim's house are currently being held at the scene.

The F.B.I. is on the scene, but officials say the situation is routine. While the investigation is ongoing, officials say the case is not believed to be anything other than a natural anthrax occurrence. Emergency crews at the scene are wearing yellow protective clothing.

About half of the city fire department is at the scene.

Police are advising that those traveling north bypass the scene by driving north up Jeanette Road, turn right onto Stacy Road, a left onto East Pembroke, a left onto Pembroke Terrace and a right back onto Pembroke to travel north on Route 37 to New Fairfield.

In 2006, a Manhattan man from Greenwich Village contracted a case of anthrax poisoning last year from handling African drums made with goat skin. He survived, after a lengthy stay in the hospital.

Though the disease conjures up images of bio-weapons of mass destruction, cutaneous anthrax is not contagious and is usually treated with antibiotics.

Anthrax infection can occur in three forms: cutaneous (skin), inhalation, and gastrointestinal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 percent of people who become infected with cutaneous anthrax die.

The first warning sign of cutaneous anthrax is a small sore that develops into a blister. The blister then develops into a skin ulcer with a black area in the center. The sore, blister and ulcer do not hurt.

B. anthracis spores can live in the soil for many years, and humans can become infected with anthrax by handling products from infected animals or by inhaling anthrax spores from contaminated animal products. Anthrax can also be spread by eating undercooked meat from infected animals.

It is rare to find infected animals in the United States.

This story will be updated with more information as it develops.



this story has been read 8924 times

Maybe they need to recall all drums made in Africa.....

Really!!!

I love my african artifacts...Don't make me get rid of them, pretty please?

Just an update so you al know, the Mayor said roads would be open tonight but more testing has forced them closed until noon tomorrow pending soil and water tests.

UPDATED: Two Danburians contract anthrax, Padanaram closed until noon Thursday, video of press conference


STAFF REPORTS

| | |

DAVID HARPLE
Two members of a Danbury family have contracted a case of cutaneous anthrax poisoning.

At least one of those two people, a man, contracted the anthrax from African drums, Mayor Mark Boughton has told The News-Times . Boughton stressed that the public was at virtually no risk for infection.

Meanwhile the state Department of Environmental Protection is closing roads in the area near the house at 69 Padanaram Road while it tests soil and water in the area. The road is supposed to open at about noon Thursday morning after testing is completed. The state evacuated two more houses in the neighborhood while they run tests.

Specifically, police advise people driving north on Padanaram to bypass the scene by driving north up Jeanette Road, turn right onto Stacy Road, a left onto East Pembroke, a left onto Pembroke Terrace and a right back onto Pembroke to travel north on Route 37 to New Fairfield. Take this route in reverse Thursday morning to avoid the road block.

"I want to emphasize that cutaneous anthrax is not communicable, but we are always concerned any time anthrax pops up in the community," said Boughton during a 3 p.m. press conference at City Hall. "We still have a few more hours of work to do at the site, we expect traffic to resume in two to three hours."

VIDEO: Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton discusses the two cases of anthrax

Both Boughton and officials from Danbury Hospital at the press conference declined to name either of the people diagnosed with anthrax.

Boughton said Danbury officials were first made aware of the anthrax case several days ago, after the man got sick and went to the hospital. Since then, he has since been treated and released.

Officials from the F.B.I. told The News-Times that the cases are not terrorism.

The Danbury house investigated by officials is a residence at 69 Pandanaram Rd., and the current tenant of the home is Ase-AmenRa Kariamu, according to Donald Lombardo, the owner of the house.

According to Lombardo, Kariamu lives there with his wife and family.

Kariamu is a renowned African drummer who is also a drum maker and restorer who teaches African drumming at the Danbury Music Centre. It is not officially known at this hour if Kariamu is involved directly in the case of anthrax.

This is believed to be the first case of cutaneous anthrax in Connecticut in nearly 40 years.

On Wednesday afternoon, William Glass, Associate Superintendent of Danbury Public Schools, said that he had "been assured by city and medical officials that the case is not a threat to our students," and that students are safe, but that "there may be some disruption to our bus schedules due to traffic interruptions in the area."


An emergency staging area was formed at the intersection of Padanaram and Jeanette Roads. Both roads were blocked at the intersection.

The F.B.I. is on the scene, but officials say the situation is routine. While the investigation is ongoing, officials say the case is not believed to be anything other than a natural anthrax occurrence. Emergency crews at the scene wore yellow protective clothing.

About half of the city fire department responded to the scene.

Due to congestion, police advise that those traveling north bypass the scene by driving north up Jeanette Road, turn right onto Stacy Road, a left onto East Pembroke, a left onto Pembroke Terrace and a right back onto Pembroke to travel north on Route 37 to New Fairfield.

In 2006, a Manhattan man from Greenwich Village contracted a case of anthrax poisoning last year from handling African drums made with goat skin. He survived, after a lengthy stay in the hospital.

Though the disease conjures up images of bio-weapons of mass destruction, cutaneous anthrax is not contagious and is usually treated with antibiotics.

Anthrax infection can occur in three forms: cutaneous (skin), inhalation, and gastrointestinal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 percent of people who become infected with cutaneous anthrax die.

The first warning sign of cutaneous anthrax is a small sore that develops into a blister. The blister then develops into a skin ulcer with a black area in the center. The sore, blister and ulcer do not hurt.

B. anthracis spores can live in the soil for many years, and humans can become infected with anthrax by handling products from infected animals or by inhaling anthrax spores from contaminated animal products. Anthrax can also be spread by eating undercooked meat from infected animals.

It is rare to find infected animals in the United States.

this story has been read 11822 times

UPDATE: Second round of testing on anthrax house begins, Route 37 expected to be closed until late afternoon


By MARK LANGLOIS
Staff writer


UPDATED: 1:38 p.m.



DANBURY -- The second round of testing for anthrax on a Danbury home has begun, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.



Yesterday's test conducted by crews from the state DEP found that the home where two members of a family contracted anthrax is contaminated.



Officials conducted 27 tests on material found in the home and the barn in the backyard of the property yesterday. The results found five positive samples in the barn itself and one positive result on the back door that leads to the barn, said Rachael Sunny. DEP spokeswoman.



Crews conducted tests throughout last night, Sunny said.



That second round of testing was scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m., but did not start until around 1:15 p.m. today.



The testing is being handled by the state Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Environmental Protection Agency, according to Dr. James Hadler, chief epidemiologist with the state Department of Public Health.



Until further notice, Danbury police are keeping Padanaram Road closed between Jeanette and Stacey Roads. Drivers are advised to avoid the area because of the ensuing congestion. Those looking to bypass the area can take Route 39.



Neighbors of the contaminated house, located at 69 Padanaram Rd., are all being let back into their homes.



African drummer and drum-maker Ase-AmenRa Kariamu lives in a house at 69 Padanaram with his family.



The city of Danbury has posted information on its Web site for residents curious or concerned about the anthrax. That site is available by clicking here.






This is a developing story. Expect this story to be updated throughout the day.

You know, this barely made the news over here.

I had to dig around the newsites to get any information on it.

Stay safe, mister! Hope things begin to settle down over there!

It has no end in site they said could take an indefinite amount of time before things go back to normal Bay