By Associated Press, 10/19/01

ABOUT ANTHRAX Anthrax becomes a weapon when bacteria (shown in top photo as small squiggles) are cultured into spores (larger clumps) and mailed. Anthrax background Anthrax Q & A Facts about anthrax ID tips for suspicious mail  GRAPHICS The disease Types of anthrax Anthrax as a weapon Inside an anthrax attack Disease facts Other bioterror threats Exposure Diagnosing anthrax Anthrax-fighting drugs Cleaning up contamination Suspicious mail What to look for Letters sent to Daschle, NBC  ANTHRAX EXPOSURES See complete list  LATEST NEWS Thousands of workers tested  FROM TODAY'S GLOBE Anthrax hits DC mail worker  REALVIDEO Inhaled anthrax in D.C. N.J. post office contaminated  RECENT COVERAGE 10/21/01 Anthrax in House mailroom N.H. mill was anthrax hot zone Anthrax may be domestic act Mexico rallies ranchers Mail workers receive antibiotics 10/20/01 Anthrax tied to single source Plans made in case of smallpox FBI eyes N.J. neighborhood Sales of Cipro limited 10/19/01 US: Germ was not 'weaponized' NY Post employee has anthrax CDC develops smallpox plan 2d NJ postal worker has anthrax 10/18/01 CBS staffer tests positive No new anthrax at Congress Small anthrax amounts in FL FBI offers $1m reward Anthrax found in Kenya letter Microsoft letter tests negative NJ postal workers has anthrax Pharmacist questioned on Cipro 60 on VT flight get antibiotics Thousands tested in DC 10/17/01 Two Feingold staffers exposed FDA publishes non-Cipro doses Cipro production increased FL, NY anthrax linked Pataki office exposed 10/16/01 Tests under way at ABC FBI: no direct link Man charged with hoax lie Several charged with hoaxes  CDC INFORMATION CDC: www.bt.cdc.gov/Agent /Anthrax/Anthrax.asp Hotline Number: 800-342-3557

NEW YORK - A New York Post employee has contracted skin anthrax, WNYW-TV reported Friday.

The woman becomes the fourth anthrax case in New York, all involving media companies, and the seventh anthrax case nationwide in recent weeks. WNYW is owned by the same company as the Post.

The report said the employee had been tested with 10 other employees considered at high risk but the first test came up negative because she was on antibiotics for an unrelated illness.

A second test came back positive Thursday night, the report said.

The woman, whose name was not made public, works at the News Corp. building at 1211 Sixth Ave. No other cases have been found at the building, which also is the headquarters for Fox News, the report said.

The Fox television station and the newspaper are both owned by News Corp., a worldwide media organization headed by Rupert Murdoch.

The statement said the victim was "already regarded as cured."

Post spokeswoman Suzanne Halpin said she could not confirm the report. A call to the office of Post Publisher Ken Chandler was referred to a different corporate spokesman, who did not immediately return a call for comment.

WNYW said it was not known how the employee came into contact with the anthrax. The building was one of several media headquarters in Manhattan checked by police and the Health Department for the presence of anthrax over the past week.

Chandler issued a statement to employees saying "everything that has been done has been done in accordance with what should be done and no one should worry because they found nothing else to worry about," WNYW said.

The Post case was announced a day after a woman who works in CBS News anchorman Dan Rather's office was diagnosed with the skin, or cutaneous, form of anthrax.