Mysterious package causes symptoms at US military base and mobilizes authorities

Several people fell ill after a suspicious package was opened at a US military base in Maryland, although they were evaluated and released, the US military said today. The incident occurred yesterday at Joint Base Andrews, outside Washington, D.C. Base officials said the package did not contain any white powder, a sign that can alert people to danger.

The base, which is about 15 miles southeast of the White House in Washington, D.C., is used by the president, vice president and cabinet leaders to travel around the country and the world. In a statement, the site said that the people who felt unwell were in stable condition and did not require hospitalization.

First responders determined there was no immediate threat from the package and operations returned to normal, the statement added. The news was first reported by CNN, which said an initial field test by the HAZMAT team detected nothing dangerous.