Home > Timeline of the 2001 anthrax attacks in Florida

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1 Boca Raton, Florida

2 2001

2.1 September 19

• A letter addressed to Jennifer Lopez containing a Star of David and a bluish powder arrived in the Sun's mailroom in the American Media headquarters. Several people handled the letter, and Stevens sniffed some of the powder.

2.2 September 30

• Robert Stevens, 63, photo editor at the supermarket tabloid The Sun, began feeling ill on the last day of a five-day vacation at his daughter's home in North Carolina

2.3 October 1

• 6 a.m. EDT Stevens returned to his home. He spent most of the day in bed.

2.4 October 2

• 2-2:30 a.m. EDT Stevens was admitted to the John F. Kennedy Hospital emergency room in Atlantis, Florida. presenting disorientation, a high fever, vomiting, and inability to speak.
• 6 a.m. EDT Stevens was placed on a ventilator.
• Stevens was examined for meningitis by infectious-disease specialist Dr. Larry Bush. Bush found a high white blood cell count and rod-shaped bacilli; he soon was convinced Stevens had contracted anthrax. He then notified the Palm Beach County Health Department.

2.5 October 3

• In the evening, government investigators, including 12 investigators from the CDC, some from the Epidemic Intelligence Service, began their investigation into Stevens' movements of the last few days and potential sources of the anthrax. The hospital ships spinal fluid samples to state health officials and the CDC.

2.6 October 4

• The CDC confirmed the anthrax diagnosis. Federal officials announced that Stevens was admitted to a hospital on Tuesday with non-contagious pulmonary anthrax. HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson suggested Stevens may have contracted anthrax from drinking water from a contaminated stream, a medically far-fetched theory.

2.7 October 5

• 4 p.m. EDT: Mr. Stevens died.

2.8 Sunday, October 7

• In the afternoon, the government sealed the American Media building. In the evening, Bacillus anthracis spores were found on a computer keyboard Stevens used at the offices of The Sun. Anthrax spores were detected in the nasal passages of Ernesto Blanco , 73, mail supervisor at The Sun. The authorities decided to test all employees in the building.

2.9 Monday, October 8October 8 is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years). There are 84 days remaining in the year. Events 451 At Chalcedon, a city of Bithynia in Asia Minor, the first session of the Council of Chalcedon begins (ends on November 1). 1600 San Marino ad

• 9 a.m. EDT 1,000 people, American Media employees or other long-term visitors, underwent nasal swab tests and began taking antibiotics from the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile.

2.10 Tuesday, October 9October 9 is the 282nd day of the year (283rd in Leap years). There are 83 days remaining. Events 1000 Leif Ericson discovers Vinland, becoming the first known European to set foot in North America. 1238 James I of Aragon conquered Valencia and founded th

• American Media employees underwent blood tests.