February 17, 2003

Jerome Hauer, Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Health and Emergency Preparedness, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), briefed the nation's state public health officials about the rationale for increasing the national threat condition for risk of terrorism attack. Based on information received and analyzed by the federal intelligence community, the national threat level was raised from elevated risk ("yellow") to high risk ("orange").

According to the Health Alert notice, Mr. Hauer warned public health officials of increased domestic threats against U.S. citizens. Specific threat agents cited include botulism and ricin toxins, cyanide, VX and sarin nerve agents, and radiological dispersion devices ("dirty bombs"). Information on threat agents is available at the CDC website (www.cdc.gov).