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| Second Texas health-care worker tests positive for Ebola | Second Texas health-care worker tests positive for Ebola |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A second health-care worker at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital who cared for the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States has tested positive for the disease, Texas health officials announced Wednesday morning. | A second health-care worker at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital who cared for the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States has tested positive for the disease, Texas health officials announced Wednesday morning. |
| “The health care worker reported a fever Tuesday and was immediately isolated at the hospital,” a statement from the Texas Department of State Health Services said. | “The health care worker reported a fever Tuesday and was immediately isolated at the hospital,” a statement from the Texas Department of State Health Services said. |
| Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the health worker was isolated within 90 minutes of taking an elevated temperature reading. | |
| It said the preliminary Ebola test was run late Tuesday at the state public health laboratory in Austin, and results were received at about midnight. Confirmatory testing on a separate specimen will be conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. | |
| “Today’s development….while concerning and unfortunate, is continued evidence that our monitoring system is working,” said Daniel Varga, chief clinical officer for Texas Health Resources, the hospital system that the Dallas hospital is a part of. | |
| The second infection of a health worker at the facility has called into question the procedures in place to protect workers. Varga said he does not believe that there is a “systematic” or institutional problem at the hospital, he acknowledged some missteps. | |
| “A lot is being said about what may or may not have occurred to cause our colleagues to contract this disease, but it’s clear there was an exposure somewhere, sometime in their treatment of Mr. Duncan,” Varga said. “We’re a hospital that may have done some things differently with the benefit of what we know today.” | |
| “No one wants to get this right more than our hospital,” he added. | |
| The worker, who was not named, helped take care of Thomas Eric Duncan, who died at the same hospital after coming down with Ebola following a flight from Liberia. The first health worker who cared for Duncan and came down with the disease, Nina Pham, was said to be doing better. | The worker, who was not named, helped take care of Thomas Eric Duncan, who died at the same hospital after coming down with Ebola following a flight from Liberia. The first health worker who cared for Duncan and came down with the disease, Nina Pham, was said to be doing better. |
| “Health officials have interviewed the latest patient to quickly identify any contacts or potential exposures, and those people will be monitored. The type of monitoring depends on the nature of their interactions and the potential they were exposed to the virus,” said a statement from the Texas Department of State Health Services. | “Health officials have interviewed the latest patient to quickly identify any contacts or potential exposures, and those people will be monitored. The type of monitoring depends on the nature of their interactions and the potential they were exposed to the virus,” said a statement from the Texas Department of State Health Services. |
| Early Wednesday morning, Dallas officials began the process of decontaminating the second health care worker’s apartment, distributing information flyers throughout the neighborhood, and issuing reverse 911 information calls to residence. | Early Wednesday morning, Dallas officials began the process of decontaminating the second health care worker’s apartment, distributing information flyers throughout the neighborhood, and issuing reverse 911 information calls to residence. |
| Decon in progress in apt building of 2nd health care worker with Ebola. @dallasfireres_q @dallaspiosana #DallasEbola pic.twitter.com/QGACzhqXvA — Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) October 15, 2014 | Decon in progress in apt building of 2nd health care worker with Ebola. @dallasfireres_q @dallaspiosana #DallasEbola pic.twitter.com/QGACzhqXvA — Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) October 15, 2014 |
| Decon in progress in apt building of 2nd health care worker with Ebola. @dallasfireres_q @dallaspiosana #DallasEbola pic.twitter.com/QGACzhqXvA | Decon in progress in apt building of 2nd health care worker with Ebola. @dallasfireres_q @dallaspiosana #DallasEbola pic.twitter.com/QGACzhqXvA |
| — Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) October 15, 2014 | — Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) October 15, 2014 |
| Flyer distributed to residents in cmplx of 2nd hlth care wrkr w/Ebola. @dallaspiosana @DallasFireRes_q #DallasEbola pic.twitter.com/dC1RY6MoLE — Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) October 15, 2014 | Flyer distributed to residents in cmplx of 2nd hlth care wrkr w/Ebola. @dallaspiosana @DallasFireRes_q #DallasEbola pic.twitter.com/dC1RY6MoLE — Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) October 15, 2014 |
| Flyer distributed to residents in cmplx of 2nd hlth care wrkr w/Ebola. @dallaspiosana @DallasFireRes_q #DallasEbola pic.twitter.com/dC1RY6MoLE | Flyer distributed to residents in cmplx of 2nd hlth care wrkr w/Ebola. @dallaspiosana @DallasFireRes_q #DallasEbola pic.twitter.com/dC1RY6MoLE |
| — Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) October 15, 2014 | — Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) October 15, 2014 |
| At least 76 workers were potentially exposed to Duncan in the hospital before he died Oct. 8, and they are being monitored daily for any signs of fever or other symptoms. Pham, the nurse who was diagnosed Sunday, is now in good condition. She had direct contact with one person while she was symptomatic — the only time a person with Ebola is infectious — and that person has no symptoms and is being monitored. | At least 76 workers were potentially exposed to Duncan in the hospital before he died Oct. 8, and they are being monitored daily for any signs of fever or other symptoms. Pham, the nurse who was diagnosed Sunday, is now in good condition. She had direct contact with one person while she was symptomatic — the only time a person with Ebola is infectious — and that person has no symptoms and is being monitored. |
| It was not immediately known how many people the second worker had come in contact with–who will now have to be traced and checked. | It was not immediately known how many people the second worker had come in contact with–who will now have to be traced and checked. |
| The handling of the Ebola cases in Texas has become the nation’s first real encounter with the disease and its infectiousness–and it is already becoming a case study in how not to deal with such a dangerous virus, which is spread through contact with the bodily fluids of those infected. | The handling of the Ebola cases in Texas has become the nation’s first real encounter with the disease and its infectiousness–and it is already becoming a case study in how not to deal with such a dangerous virus, which is spread through contact with the bodily fluids of those infected. |
| Indeed, Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the agency regretted its initial response to the first Ebola diagnosis in Texas, acknowledging that more could have been done to combat infection at the hospital treating Duncan. He said authorities still don’t know how exactly Pham was infected–whether it involved a flaw in her personal protection gear or in the way it was used. | Indeed, Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the agency regretted its initial response to the first Ebola diagnosis in Texas, acknowledging that more could have been done to combat infection at the hospital treating Duncan. He said authorities still don’t know how exactly Pham was infected–whether it involved a flaw in her personal protection gear or in the way it was used. |
| Nurses at the hospital, who spoke anonymously through the National Nurses Union citing fear of retribution, said that protocols at the hospital were “constantly changing” and that nurses received minimal training in infection control procedures. | Nurses at the hospital, who spoke anonymously through the National Nurses Union citing fear of retribution, said that protocols at the hospital were “constantly changing” and that nurses received minimal training in infection control procedures. |
| On Tuesday, Frieden also announced steps that were taken in light of the first case of infection among health care workers to shore up infection and safety control procedures at the hospital, including a 24-hour a day site manager who monitors the process of taking off and putting on personal protective equipment. | On Tuesday, Frieden also announced steps that were taken in light of the first case of infection among health care workers to shore up infection and safety control procedures at the hospital, including a 24-hour a day site manager who monitors the process of taking off and putting on personal protective equipment. |
| “What I think we believe that what we could have done better was the oversight of the implementation of the protocols,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, speaking on CNN on Wednesday morning. | “What I think we believe that what we could have done better was the oversight of the implementation of the protocols,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, speaking on CNN on Wednesday morning. |
| “I do have confidence in the CDC and Dr. Frieden,” she added. | “I do have confidence in the CDC and Dr. Frieden,” she added. |
| Now, that there appear to be two cases, they will face further questions about whether something systemic went wrong. | Now, that there appear to be two cases, they will face further questions about whether something systemic went wrong. |