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Long Island hospital detains man during anthrax scare

Healthcare Security Weekly, January 26, 2004

Security at North Shore University hospital in Manhasset, NY, responded quickly on Wednesday, January 21, to an anthrax scare in the hospital's Medicaid office.

A man walked into the hospital and pulled out an envelope with the word "anthrax" written on it, according to Newsday.

Around 1 p.m. the man entered the Medicaid enrollment office saying he represented a patient who wanted to sign up for Medicaid, a hospital spokesperson told Newsday.

When the clerk demanded residential proof, the man pulled out the open envelope, which said "Anthrax. Do not open," written in the corner, the spokesperson said.

The envelope appeared to be empty.

Hospital security responded to the scare by sectioning off the area, and notifying the local police department. While keeping the man in custody, security waited for the arrival of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Nassau County Department of Emergency Management.

Joint testing of the envelope for traces of chemical, biological, and radiological substances came up negative, Newsday reports.

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