Traces of anthrax have been found at a mailroom servicing the US Department of Agriculture's economic research office, officials said today, as a bio-terror alert hit another US federal building.
The Department said in a statement that tests conducted on its premises in central Washington had uncovered trace amounts of anthrax.
The Economic Research Office (ERS) receives its mail from the capital's Brentwood sorting office, where two workers have died from inhalation anthrax, the department said.
ERS mailrooms have been closed for extra testing, but no other tests at the Department of Agriculture have so far proved positive.
Earlier a woman in New Jersey became the United States' 15th confirmed victim of anthrax.
The unnamed woman was treated successfully for the skin form of the disease and released from hospital.
A list of federal buildings contaminated by anthrax is lengthening.
Yesterday, officials said anthrax traces had been found at the Supreme Court, the State Department and a building used by the Health and Human Services Department.
Traces of anthrax were last week found at a remote facility which process White House mail, as well as in congressional offices.
Concentrated anthrax was mailed to Senate Majority leader Mr Tom Daschle, and a string of contaminated letters was also sent to media organisations.
- The US embassy and consulate in Cairo were evacuated today after "a suspicious substance" was found on the premises, an embassy spokesman said. AFP