The US House of Representatives and three Senate office buildings have closed down for tests after at least 31 congressional employees tested positive for anthrax exposure - increasing fears of new, full-blown cases of the potentially deadly disease. Most of those infected were workers in the office of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, who received a letter containing anthrax through the post on Monday.
But the bacteria also appeared to have spread beyond Mr Daschle`s suite in the Hart Senate Office Building.
Two people tested positive for exposure who worked for Senator Russell Feingold, whose offices are adjacent to Mr Daschle`s.
Meanwhile, New York Governor George Pataki said there was "a likelihood" that there had been anthrax in his Manhattan offices.

He said tests taken on Monday night in a secure room used by his state police security staff had produced positive results, but that three employees who were subsequently tested were not infected.
Mr Pataki said he and about 80 of his employees would be taking antibiotics as a precaution.
Bureau Report