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| Ebola crisis: Hospital official 'sorry for mistakes' | Ebola crisis: Hospital official 'sorry for mistakes' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The top doctor at the Texas hospital where an Ebola patient infected two nurses before dying has apologised for its failure to diagnose him promptly. | The top doctor at the Texas hospital where an Ebola patient infected two nurses before dying has apologised for its failure to diagnose him promptly. |
| Dr Daniel Varga of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital told a congressional panel it remained unclear how the nurses caught the disease. | Dr Daniel Varga of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital told a congressional panel it remained unclear how the nurses caught the disease. |
| Congressmen are questioning public health officials about the threat of an Ebola outbreak in the US. | Congressmen are questioning public health officials about the threat of an Ebola outbreak in the US. |
| The epidemic has killed more than 4,000 people, almost all in West Africa. | The epidemic has killed more than 4,000 people, almost all in West Africa. |
| The World Health Organization (WHO) has said it will "ramp up" efforts to prevent Ebola spreading beyond the three countries most affected by the deadly virus - Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. | The World Health Organization (WHO) has said it will "ramp up" efforts to prevent Ebola spreading beyond the three countries most affected by the deadly virus - Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. |
| Fifteen African countries are being prioritised, top WHO official Isabelle Nuttall told a news conference in Geneva. They will receive more help in areas including prevention and protection. | Fifteen African countries are being prioritised, top WHO official Isabelle Nuttall told a news conference in Geneva. They will receive more help in areas including prevention and protection. |
| At the scene, Laura Trevelyan, Dallas, Texas | At the scene, Laura Trevelyan, Dallas, Texas |
| At Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, a young couple embrace in arrivals and leave for the city centre discussing the case of Nina Pham, the Dallas nurse infected with Ebola who cared for Thomas Eric Duncan. How could it happen here, they ask in wonder. | At Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, a young couple embrace in arrivals and leave for the city centre discussing the case of Nina Pham, the Dallas nurse infected with Ebola who cared for Thomas Eric Duncan. How could it happen here, they ask in wonder. |
| There's a pervasive sense of unease about the Ebola virus in the midst of this prosperous city. Three schools have closed temporarily because two of the pupils were on the same flight as nurse Amber Vinson on Monday night - she has become the second nurse to contract Ebola from Duncan and the CDC want to trace all 132 people on the plane. | There's a pervasive sense of unease about the Ebola virus in the midst of this prosperous city. Three schools have closed temporarily because two of the pupils were on the same flight as nurse Amber Vinson on Monday night - she has become the second nurse to contract Ebola from Duncan and the CDC want to trace all 132 people on the plane. |
| And faith in Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas has been shaken - this prestigious institution, favoured by the wealthy of Dallas for their healthcare, has had to apologise for failing to diagnose Ebola symptoms in Mr Duncan. | And faith in Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas has been shaken - this prestigious institution, favoured by the wealthy of Dallas for their healthcare, has had to apologise for failing to diagnose Ebola symptoms in Mr Duncan. |
| A hospital nurse told NBC News this morning she could no longer defend the hospital at all. | A hospital nurse told NBC News this morning she could no longer defend the hospital at all. |
| In Washington DC on Thursday, a panel of the House of Representatives energy and commerce committee questioned senior public health officials about the threat of Ebola to the US. | In Washington DC on Thursday, a panel of the House of Representatives energy and commerce committee questioned senior public health officials about the threat of Ebola to the US. |
| Witnesses included Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Dr Thomas Frieden, Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Dr Varga, chief clinical officer at Texas Health Resources, the parent company of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. | Witnesses included Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Dr Thomas Frieden, Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Dr Varga, chief clinical officer at Texas Health Resources, the parent company of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. |
| The hearing came a day after a second nurse who treated Liberian national Thomas Eric Duncan, Amber Vinson, was diagnosed with Ebola. | The hearing came a day after a second nurse who treated Liberian national Thomas Eric Duncan, Amber Vinson, was diagnosed with Ebola. |
| Nina Pham, the first nurse infected, is reportedly in a good condition and was to be transferred to the National Institutes of Health in the US state of Maryland on Thursday. | Nina Pham, the first nurse infected, is reportedly in a good condition and was to be transferred to the National Institutes of Health in the US state of Maryland on Thursday. |
| In prepared testimony, Dr Varga acknowledged medical staff at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital erred in sending Duncan home after he arrived on 25 September with a fever, despite him telling them he had come from Liberia. | In prepared testimony, Dr Varga acknowledged medical staff at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital erred in sending Duncan home after he arrived on 25 September with a fever, despite him telling them he had come from Liberia. |
| Duncan returned to hospital on 28 September, was officially diagnosed with Ebola two days later, and died on 8 October. | Duncan returned to hospital on 28 September, was officially diagnosed with Ebola two days later, and died on 8 October. |
| "Unfortunately, in our initial treatment of Mr Duncan, despite our best intentions and a highly skilled medical team, we made mistakes," Dr Varga said. "We did not correctly diagnose his symptoms as those of Ebola. We are deeply sorry." | "Unfortunately, in our initial treatment of Mr Duncan, despite our best intentions and a highly skilled medical team, we made mistakes," Dr Varga said. "We did not correctly diagnose his symptoms as those of Ebola. We are deeply sorry." |
| He also said it remained unclear how Ms Pham had contracted Ebola. | He also said it remained unclear how Ms Pham had contracted Ebola. |
| "She is known as an extremely skilled nurse, and she was using full protective measures under the CDC protocols," he said. | "She is known as an extremely skilled nurse, and she was using full protective measures under the CDC protocols," he said. |
| A national nurses union has suggested infection control procedures were lacking and the nurses were not sufficiently trained. | A national nurses union has suggested infection control procedures were lacking and the nurses were not sufficiently trained. |
| Dr Varga admitted under questioning his hospital's staff had received information about Ebola response but had no training before Duncan's arrival. | Dr Varga admitted under questioning his hospital's staff had received information about Ebola response but had no training before Duncan's arrival. |
| The CDC has come under fire for allowing Ms Vinson to fly on a commercial aeroplane to Dallas from Cleveland, Ohio, the day before she fell ill with Ebola. | The CDC has come under fire for allowing Ms Vinson to fly on a commercial aeroplane to Dallas from Cleveland, Ohio, the day before she fell ill with Ebola. |
| Dr Frieden on Thursday said, "My understanding is she reported no symptoms." | Dr Frieden on Thursday said, "My understanding is she reported no symptoms." |
| Senior Republican congressmen on the panel called for a travel ban from what one described as the Ebola "hot zones", rejecting public health officials' insistence that such a move would only isolate the affected countries and hinder efforts to stanch the outbreak there. | Senior Republican congressmen on the panel called for a travel ban from what one described as the Ebola "hot zones", rejecting public health officials' insistence that such a move would only isolate the affected countries and hinder efforts to stanch the outbreak there. |
| New US Ebola control measures | New US Ebola control measures |
| Could it spread around US? | Could it spread around US? |
| Confusing death figures | Confusing death figures |
| "Screening and self-reporting at airports have been a demonstrated failure," subcommittee chairman Tim Murphy said in an opening statement. "Yet the [Obama] administration continues to advance a contradictory reason for this failed policy that frankly doesn't make sense, especially if 'priority one' is to contain the spread of Ebola and protect public health. | "Screening and self-reporting at airports have been a demonstrated failure," subcommittee chairman Tim Murphy said in an opening statement. "Yet the [Obama] administration continues to advance a contradictory reason for this failed policy that frankly doesn't make sense, especially if 'priority one' is to contain the spread of Ebola and protect public health. |
| "We can and will create the means to transport whatever supplies, and goods are needed in Africa to win this deadly battle." | "We can and will create the means to transport whatever supplies, and goods are needed in Africa to win this deadly battle." |
| Democratic Congressman Henry Waxman said the Ebola outbreak was "a humanitarian crisis" that the US must help contain and that "sealing people off in Africa is not going to keep them travelling". | |
| Duncan was not symptomatic when he arrived in Dallas from Liberia in September, but reportedly failed to tell authorities prior to his departure that he had had contact with an Ebola patient. | Duncan was not symptomatic when he arrived in Dallas from Liberia in September, but reportedly failed to tell authorities prior to his departure that he had had contact with an Ebola patient. |
| The US is now screening passengers arriving from the three countries most affected - Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea - at multiple airports. | The US is now screening passengers arriving from the three countries most affected - Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea - at multiple airports. |
| On Wednesday, US President Barack Obama said the risk of Americans getting the virus was still "extremely low", but ordered "much more aggressive response", including increased CDC involvement. | On Wednesday, US President Barack Obama said the risk of Americans getting the virus was still "extremely low", but ordered "much more aggressive response", including increased CDC involvement. |
| In other developments on Thursday: | In other developments on Thursday: |