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Ebola fears grow as CDC says it will screen larger group of travelers Ebola fears grow as CDC says it will screen larger group of travelers
(about 3 hours later)
The impact of two Ebola diagnoses in the United States this week continued to reverberate across the country and beyond, causing concern for another group of travelers who may have encountered a person with Ebola before she was isolated.The impact of two Ebola diagnoses in the United States this week continued to reverberate across the country and beyond, causing concern for another group of travelers who may have encountered a person with Ebola before she was isolated.
Hospital workers who entered the room of an Ebola patient in Texas have been asked not to travel commercially, which public health officials had said would be a requirement going forward. They have also been asked not to go to public places like grocery stores or theaters during the 21-day period following their last contact with the patient, according to a letter from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
As a sign of the growing anxiety over the number of people exposed to Ebola recently, particularly after it was revealed that a health-care worker had traveled on a commercial flight a day before her diagnosis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced late Thursday that another large group of people had to be contacted and screened.As a sign of the growing anxiety over the number of people exposed to Ebola recently, particularly after it was revealed that a health-care worker had traveled on a commercial flight a day before her diagnosis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced late Thursday that another large group of people had to be contacted and screened.
The CDC had said it was reaching out to anyone who was on the Frontier Airlines flight taken by Amber Vinson, the second Dallas nurse to contract Ebola, when she traveled from Cleveland to Texas on Monday. However, the CDC now says it is also reaching out to anyone who was on the Frontier flight she had taken to Ohio the previous Friday, Oct. 10, to see whether anyone is deemed to be at potential risk.The CDC had said it was reaching out to anyone who was on the Frontier Airlines flight taken by Amber Vinson, the second Dallas nurse to contract Ebola, when she traveled from Cleveland to Texas on Monday. However, the CDC now says it is also reaching out to anyone who was on the Frontier flight she had taken to Ohio the previous Friday, Oct. 10, to see whether anyone is deemed to be at potential risk.
Vinson reported a fever Tuesday. Very early Wednesday morning, she was diagnosed with Ebola.Vinson reported a fever Tuesday. Very early Wednesday morning, she was diagnosed with Ebola.
The CDC has said that she was not symptomatic during her flight Monday, which is a key fact because people with Ebola are only contagious when they are exhibiting symptoms. However, Vinson had told the CDC that she had a slightly elevated temperature of 99.5 degrees before flying and was not prohibited from boarding the plane.The CDC has said that she was not symptomatic during her flight Monday, which is a key fact because people with Ebola are only contagious when they are exhibiting symptoms. However, Vinson had told the CDC that she had a slightly elevated temperature of 99.5 degrees before flying and was not prohibited from boarding the plane.
Public health officials say they are investigating whether she had any possible symptoms as far back as last Saturday or even earlier, which is why they are contacting the travelers on her flight to Ohio.Public health officials say they are investigating whether she had any possible symptoms as far back as last Saturday or even earlier, which is why they are contacting the travelers on her flight to Ohio.
Frontier said that the plane used for Vinson’s first flight — Frontier Airlines Flight 1142 on Oct. 10 — was cleaned and, as of Wednesday, remained in service. The airline had also said that the plane used for Flight 1143 — the trip Vinson took back to Texas on Monday — took a succession of trips through Ohio, Florida and Georgia, during which it was cleaned, but that it was taken out of service Wednesday after the CDC said that Vinson may have had symptoms during her flight Monday.Frontier said that the plane used for Vinson’s first flight — Frontier Airlines Flight 1142 on Oct. 10 — was cleaned and, as of Wednesday, remained in service. The airline had also said that the plane used for Flight 1143 — the trip Vinson took back to Texas on Monday — took a succession of trips through Ohio, Florida and Georgia, during which it was cleaned, but that it was taken out of service Wednesday after the CDC said that Vinson may have had symptoms during her flight Monday.
News that Vinson traveled on a crowded commercial plane created a new wave of Ebola-related anxiety in the United States, particularly as it opened up the possibility that a larger pool of people may have been exposed to the illness.News that Vinson traveled on a crowded commercial plane created a new wave of Ebola-related anxiety in the United States, particularly as it opened up the possibility that a larger pool of people may have been exposed to the illness.
So far, the cases in the country have all centered on Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, the Dallas hospital that treated Thomas Duncan, the Liberian man who was diagnosed with Ebola a little more than a week after flying to the United States. Vinson and another nurse, Nina Pham, were both infected while caring for Duncan at the hospital, through an exposure that has still not been identified by officials.So far, the cases in the country have all centered on Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, the Dallas hospital that treated Thomas Duncan, the Liberian man who was diagnosed with Ebola a little more than a week after flying to the United States. Vinson and another nurse, Nina Pham, were both infected while caring for Duncan at the hospital, through an exposure that has still not been identified by officials.
And in a sign of how the U.S. government was working to strengthen its efforts to combat and contain the virus, President Obama on Friday named Ron Klain as the Ebola response coordinator for the country, a move that comes after considerable Republican pressure to designate such a person.And in a sign of how the U.S. government was working to strengthen its efforts to combat and contain the virus, President Obama on Friday named Ron Klain as the Ebola response coordinator for the country, a move that comes after considerable Republican pressure to designate such a person.
Meanwhile, due to Ebola fears, a health-care worker from the same Dallas hospital has been isolated on a cruise ship that left Texas on Sunday. This health-care worker had no direct contact with Duncan, but the person “may have had contact with” fluid samples from Duncan, Jen Psaki, spokeswoman for the State Department, said in a statement.Meanwhile, due to Ebola fears, a health-care worker from the same Dallas hospital has been isolated on a cruise ship that left Texas on Sunday. This health-care worker had no direct contact with Duncan, but the person “may have had contact with” fluid samples from Duncan, Jen Psaki, spokeswoman for the State Department, said in a statement.
While the person has not had a fever or exhibited any symptoms, they have agreed to remain isolated in a cruise ship cabin, because it has been 19 days since they processed Duncan’s fluid samples. (Ebola symptoms generally show up during a 21-day period after exposure, after which a person is deemed to be in the clear.)While the person has not had a fever or exhibited any symptoms, they have agreed to remain isolated in a cruise ship cabin, because it has been 19 days since they processed Duncan’s fluid samples. (Ebola symptoms generally show up during a 21-day period after exposure, after which a person is deemed to be in the clear.)
This person has been deemed “to be very low risk” by the CDC, according to John Heald, senior cruise director for Carnival Cruise Lines.This person has been deemed “to be very low risk” by the CDC, according to John Heald, senior cruise director for Carnival Cruise Lines.
Members of Congress and other elected officials have repeatedly called for a complete travel ban on people from Ebola-stricken countries in West Africa, bringing up the topic again and again during a Thursday hearing on Capitol Hill.Members of Congress and other elected officials have repeatedly called for a complete travel ban on people from Ebola-stricken countries in West Africa, bringing up the topic again and again during a Thursday hearing on Capitol Hill.
President Obama and Tom Frieden, the CDC director, have both said they are open to anything to protect Americans, but they have also said that a travel ban does not seem like the most effective tactic. Among other things, they have argued, if a ban was put in place, people could travel to other countries not stricken with Ebola and then board flights, greatly complicating the U.S. government’s ability to track them.President Obama and Tom Frieden, the CDC director, have both said they are open to anything to protect Americans, but they have also said that a travel ban does not seem like the most effective tactic. Among other things, they have argued, if a ban was put in place, people could travel to other countries not stricken with Ebola and then board flights, greatly complicating the U.S. government’s ability to track them.
[This post has been updated. First published: 12:56 p.m. Last update: 4:29 p.m.]