Report warns U.S. unprepared for bioterror

By WND Staff

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In the wake of a recent “credible” threat that a food-poisoning attack could target hotels and restaurants, a new report warns the United States is unprepared to respond to a major bioterror “incident,” according to a report from Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.

This warning also would include reaction to the spread of a major disease. The report, titled, “Ready or Not? Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism,” was released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

It said the 2009 outbreak of the H1N1 flu exposed serious underlying gaps in the nation’s ability to respond to public health emergencies and that the current economic crisis is straining an already fragile public health system.

It added that significant local, state and federal budget cuts have had a negative impact on the ability of public health departments to respond to such a crisis and maintain staff capabilities.

This warning mirrors a recent congressional report saying that the U.S. was unprepared to respond to a large-scale bioterrorism attack. It measured the government’s performance in 17 key areas and gave both the White House and Congress an “F” for not developing a rapid-response capability to confront disease outbreaks from bioterrorism.

The latest report comes as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security last month warned of the potential for food poisoning attacks on hotels and restaurants.

“We operate under the premise that individuals prepared to carry out terrorist acts are in this country,” said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

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