Anthrax death woman 'handled hospital post'

A New York woman who mysteriously died of inhalation anthrax did handle the post at the hospital where she worked.

Kathy Nguyen, a stock clerk at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, occasionally dealt with mail although it was not her primary job.

The woman's death fuelled fears of widespread infection because she had no apparent contact with the postal system and anthrax tests at her apartment and at the hospital have so far been negative.

But hospital executive Terence O'Brien said that until a few weeks ago, there was a mail-sorting area in the basement stockroom where she had worked.

Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said last week there was no indication Ms Nguyen handled post, and Dr Steven Ostroff of the Centres for Disease Control said her case was puzzling because "there's no clear linkage with the mail".

Meanwhile, doubts over the US Government's response to the anthrax attacks increased with a new poll showing less than half the public has confidence in its measures.

Only 46% of Americans believe George W Bush's administration has a sound plan to combat germ warfare, according to a survey in Newsweek magazine.

It came despite attempts by Mr Bush to calm fears about the attacks on Saturday, when he claimed the Government was acting quickly and on the best information available.

Investigators are learning new information about the attacks every day, he said during his weekly radio address to the nation.