A suspicious package was delivered to a US military base in Maryland, which caused multiple people to fall ill and led to several being taken to hospital on Thursday.
A statement from Joint Base Andrews, located outside Washington, D.C., said a building on the base was evacuated after an individual “opened a suspicious package”, according to CNN.
Several people were transported to the Malcolm Grove Medical Center on the base, it said.
“As a precaution, the building and connecting building were evacuated, and a cordon was established around the area,” CNN said, citing the statement from the base.
“Joint Base Andrews first responders were dispatched to the scene, determined there were no immediate threats, and have turned the scene over to the Office of Special Investigations. An investigation is currently ongoing.”
The package contained an unknown white powder, CNN said, citing two sources familiar with the investigation.
An initial field test from the HAZMAT team did not detect anything hazardous, but the investigation remains ongoing, added CNN, citing one of the sources familiar with the matter.
The US Department of Defense and Joint Base Andrews did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.