triviageek

A quote at the bottom of an online Time magazine article gave me a pause.

Just last week, the Department of Homeland Security waited five days to tell D.C. health officials that six bioterrorism sensors had detected the presence of a dangerous bacterium on the Mall, where tens of thousands of people had gathered for an antiwar demonstration. So far, there have been no confirmed cases of anyone getting sick.

I *LIVE* in the DC area. Why is this the first that I've heard about dangerous bacteria on the mall?