Dr. John Carnie, Chief Health Officer of Victoria, has sounded warnings to the state's doctors to be careful and on the outlook, stressing that 14 users of injecting heroine in Scotland and one in Germany have ended up contracting anthrax.

Stefan Gruenert, the Chief Executive of drug rehabilitation centre Odyssey House, said that he is aware of the scare and that heroine users "are geared up for it happening in Australia".

"They are prepared and we are on the lookout. On the one hand we don't want to spread fear and concern but at the same time people should be informing each other to keep a lookout and be prepared in case it does reach here", he said.

The warning sounded by Dr. Carnie, as has been stressed by his spokesman, was a purely precautionary measure".