Newark alert

Take note if you live in New Jersey. This is scary.

The FBI and New Jersey officials have started a hushed but intensive search for three missing lab mice reportedly infected with deadly strains of plague. The mice were discovered missing from separate cages at a bioterrorism research facility in Newark more than two weeks ago, but the incident was only confirmed Wednesday by the Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger.

Scientists say with modern antibiotics, plague can be treated if quickly diagnosed, but how are people going to know they should be diagnosed, if nobody tells them the little infected rodents are running around?

[hat tip to Paul Wright]