The Ebola Story

[NewsCopy]

Patient in isolation at Dallas hospital tests for Ebola; CDC director: "I have no doubt we will stop it here,"

The rest of the story
KLFY

[NewsCopy]

A man in Texas is the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The rest of the story
livescience.com

[NewsCopy]

The first patient to be diagnosed with Ebola in the United States is receiving treatment while isolated in a Texas hospital, but what does such isolation involve?

The rest of the story
livescience.com

[NewsCopy]

Health officials in Hawaii said they have determined a man hospitalized in isolation is no longer being evaluated for Ebola.

The rest of the story
livescience.com

[NewsCopy]

As many as 100 people may have come into contact with the Ebola patient in Texas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The rest of the story
livescience.com

[NewsCopy]

Long before a man was diagnosed with the Ebola virus in neighboring Texas, Louisiana's health department was working on what to do in case someone with the disease showed up in the state.

The rest of the story
The Ind.

[NewsCopy]

Doctor Tina Stefanski with the office of public health in Acadiana says state health officials began preparing regarding Ebola.

The rest of the story
KLFY

[cajunhawk]

So it's an airborne virus?

[Turbine]

So it's an airborne virus?

No, not from everything else I have read.

"The most important thing to know is that people don't need to worry about Ebola unless they've recently traveled to West Africa or been in very close contact with someone who is clearly sick and has the virus, said Dr. Frank Welch, the Department of Health and Hospitals' medical director for community preparedness, and Dr. Jimmy Guidry, the state health officer."

This quote in The Ind. tells me they are not ready.

[CajunJack55]

This is all you need to know and facts as of last night (copied from teleconference between DFW area doctors and CDC)

1) A person is only contagious once they are having symptoms.
2) The sicker the patient, the higher the viral load (I.e., if they only have a fever, the viral load in their spit will be much lower...less contagious...than if they are having bleeding/diarrhea...etc (highly contagious).
3) The pt here in Dallas physically carried an infected girl (in Liberia) the day before she died (very high viral load).
4) The pt here in Dallas has never been as sick as that girl.
5) Known contacts (people who were around him) during the 2.5 days he was symptomatic/contagious and not in isolation have been quarantined, including the EMTs and healthcare providers.
6) There is up to 21 day incubation period (before symptoms start showing) although most patients have 8-10 days between exposure and symptom manifestation.
7) The Dallas pt was exposed 9/15 and became symptomatic 9/24.
8) It is NOT airborne but is transmitted through bodily fluids.
9) "Droplet precautions" are required. This is a hospital term meaning barriers to coughs, sneezes, etc are required...plus the usual spit, blood etc.

Again, the viral load is only high enough to cause infection once the pt is showing symptoms. The sicker the pt. The more easily contagious. Fever and stomach pain are typically the first symptoms. We have been advised to isolate any patient with fever AND has come from West Africa OR been around anyone with recent travels to West Africa. Otherwise...no reason for concern. What the CDC has not released to the press but will later today: This guy in Dallas was getting out of Liberia to flee the disease. He quit his job in Liberia as soon as his visa to the US came through. Passengers are screened in Liberia before they are allowed to fly. He lied about his exposure to the dying girl so he could come to the US where he believed he would have better care anyway should he get sick. He knew he likely had Ebola when he started feeling sick, immediately presented to the ER and TOLD this to the nurse who thought he was overreacting/hyperchondriac. Complete mismanagement. The hospital should have quarantined this pt immediately based on the fact he TOLD them (the triage nurse) as soon as he arrived in the ER he'd just come from Liberia, HAD BEEN around people w Ebola and had a fever/stomach ache. He TOLD THEM he thought he had it and they ignored (well the nurse did). His friend told the nurse the same thing. Dumb, stupid nurse...never passed on this info to the treating ER doc who only did a quick exam (no interview), told him it was gastritis and prescribed antibiotics, sent him home. Over the next two days he came in contact with 18 known people who are now quarantined. He returned to the hospital via ambulance 2 days later. The EMTs informed the hospital during transport that they were needing quarantine on arrival and no significant hospital exposure occurred at that time. There is now a second sick pt...exposed to the original sick patient during the two days between hospital visits. This new case developed symptoms while in quarantine and has not exposed anyone else. Lab results pending but CDC is treating as a second case.

[NewsCopy]

Health officials are now monitoring 50 people in Texas for signs of Ebola, and there have been reports that people in other areas of the country may be infected with the virus. But why can't all these people just be tested for Ebola as soon as possible?

The rest of the story
livescience.com

[NewsCopy]

Health officials are monitoring people who came in contact with Thomas Eric Duncan, who was the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States.

The rest of the story
livescience.com