The Egyptian government has seized six letters of unknown origin containing ground animal meat and intestines, on the suspicion they might contain anthrax bacteria, the daily Al Gomhuria said.
Samples were taken from the six letters' contents for lab tests to make sure they were free from anthrax spores.
“The letters won’t be released until analysis confirms they are free from the bacteria which causes anthrax infection,” said the director general of Alexandria Port quarantine, Tareq Al Wakil.
Wakil added, “Minister of Health Ismael Sallam has instructed us to seize any incoming mail to Egypt ports which contains animal hair, wool, intestines, horns, ground bones, leather or fresh or dried blood and not to release it until laboratory tests for anthrax bacteria are carried out and contamination is ruled out.”
According to the official, four of the letters in question contained intestines and were sent from New Zealand, Ireland, Italy and Lebanon in addition to two letters containing ground bones that came from the US.
So far, the anthrax scare in the region has also reached Lebanon, Yemen, Morocco and Bahrain - Albawaba.com
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