Local health departments on guard for bioterrorism

WASHINGTON - The director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that an increase in the number of false alarms reporting possible anthrax or smallpox over the past year shows local health departments are on guard for bioterrorism. <br> <br> Doctor Julie Gerberding spoke to an American Medical Association science writers conference in Washington. <br> <br> She said, ``We love these false alarms because they tell us the system is working.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> While she didn&#39;t give details on the number of such calls, Gerberding said requests from state and local health departments for assistance in evaluating a disease are up sharply since last year&#39;s anthrax attacks. <br> <br> Gerberding said that, unlike before the terrorist attacks, reports now come from all parts of the country and from small rural health departments as well as those in large urban areas. <br> <br> During the past year, she said, her Atlanta-based agency has distributed $918 million to state and local health departments and ``substantial progress&#39;&#39; has been made on the local level. <br> <br> The funds are for such things as building better laboratories and detection systems and improving surveillance that might indicate a covert attack. <br> <br> CDC has also increased the national drug stockpile so that materials and staff can be sent anywhere needed quickly.