US - Texas: Mr. Duncan - Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - traveled from Liberia -deceased

[Pathfinder]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Dallas Presbyterian prepared to care for Ebola patient; hospital continuing normal operations

By Claire Cardona
5:55 pm on September 30, 2014 |

...
Dr. Mark Lester, Southeast Zone clinical leader for Texas Health Resources, said that the hospital is continuing normal operations and that patients should not be concerned.

?There is no risk to any person in the hospital,? Dr. Edward Goodman, hospital epidemiologist at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. ?There is no reason to be fearful of that.?

The patient, who the city has stated moved to Dallas from Liberia, flew from West Africa on Sept. 19 and arrived Sept. 20.

The man had some symptoms on Sept. 24. Early Friday morning, the patient went to the hospital emergency room on his own with nondescript, nonspecific symptoms. He was evaluated at the hospital for nondescript, nonspecific symptoms and given antibiotics, then left, Goodman said. On Sunday, he was taken to the hospital by ambulance and admitted.

Goodman said they were looking into why he left Friday and were going to monitor those emergency room doctors closely.

Goodman said it does not appear the man went to any other hospitals in the area.
...
Head-to-toe coverage for doctors treating the patient is not required, Goodman said. Doctors will be wearing two waterproof gowns, gloves, surgical masks, eye protection and shoe protection.

It does not require a highly specialized unit to care for someone with Ebola, Goodman said. But in the event that a negative pressure unit is required, the hospital has that capability.

Because of privacy laws, few details about the patient were available Tuesday, including his condition. But Goodman said the man was communicating and was asking for food.
...

Full text:
http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/...t-hospital-continuing-normal-operations.html/

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

This is the news thread for this topic. Please post comments on this discussion thread here.

Thanks!

 

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Atlanta is another hub for Delta.

 

[MHSC]

Re: Discussion - 1st ebola case in US (excluding health care worker transfer) Dallas, Texas

Re: Discussion - 1st ebola case in US (excluding health care worker transfer) Dallas, Texas

Hawkeye

Here is your answer, 3:32 today they quarantined them.

The city of Dallas also activated its Emergency Operations Center and is on Level 2: High Readiness after the person was confirmed to have the virus at 3:32 p.m. Tuesday, according to a release. The Dallas Fire-Rescue EMS crew that transported the patient Sunday as well as the ambulance were quarantined, Mayor Mike Rawlings said. None are showing symptoms.

http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/...t-hospital-continuing-normal-operations.html/

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

What We Know About the Texas Ebola Patient
By Maggie Fox

How did he get infected?
...
CDC and Texas health officials are not giving details about the patient. But he would have to have been in close contact with someone who was sick with or died from Ebola in Liberia. Ebola spreads in bodily fluids such as blood, vomit or diarrhea. And those fluids have to get inside your body through the mouth, eyes or nose, or in a cut or via a needle stick. The virus doesn?t spread in the air and it cannot persist on surfaces like flu viruses can.
...
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ebola-virus-outbreak/what-we-know-about-texas-ebola-patient-n215451

 

[hawkeye]

Re: Discussion - 1st ebola case in US (excluding health care worker transfer) Dallas, Texas

Re: Discussion - 1st ebola case in US (excluding health care worker transfer) Dallas, Texas

Hawkeye

Here is your answer, 3:32 today they quarantined them.

The city of Dallas also activated its Emergency Operations Center and is on Level 2: High Readiness after the person was confirmed to have the virus at 3:32 p.m. Tuesday, according to a release. The Dallas Fire-Rescue EMS crew that transported the patient Sunday as well as the ambulance were quarantined, Mayor Mike Rawlings said. None are showing symptoms.

http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/...t-hospital-continuing-normal-operations.html/

MHSC, here's more information about the EMS crew:

Three Dallas Fire/EMS crew members — two paramedics and one paramedic intern — are being monitored after transporting the patient to the hospital, a Dallas official confirmed. They will remain at home during a 21-day period and checked often for symptoms of the deadly virus

http://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...90947e-48f3-11e4-a046-120a8a855cca_story.html

Regarding the ambulance:

Lt. Joel Lavender of the Dallas Fire Rescue said. The ambulance was also decontaminated later, he said.

 

[MHSC]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

What We Know About the Texas Ebola Patient
it cannot persist on surfaces like flu viruses can.

Hmmm, this states otherwise (those numbers in parentheses are reference numbers not days).

Ebola

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: The virus can survive in liquid or dried material for a number of days (23). Infectivity is found to be stable at room temperature or at 4?C for several days, and indefinitely stable at -70?C (6, 20). Infectivity can be preserved by lyophilisation.

http://www.msdsonline.com/resources/msds-resources/free-safety-data-sheet-index/ebola-virus.aspx



Influenza

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Influenza A virus can survive for 24 to 48 hours on hard, nonporous surfaces such as stainless steel and plastic and for approximately 8 to 12 hours on cloth, paper and tissues(29).

http://www.msdsonline.com/resources...-data-sheet-index/influenza-virus-type-a.aspx

 

[MHSC]

Re: Discussion - 1st ebola case in US (excluding health care worker transfer) Dallas, Texas

Re: Discussion - 1st ebola case in US (excluding health care worker transfer) Dallas, Texas

Three Dallas Fire/EMS crew members ? two paramedics and one paramedic intern ? are being monitored after transporting the patient to the hospital, a Dallas official confirmed. They will remain at home during a 21-day period and checked often for symptoms of the deadly virus

So that means there were two in the back, the intern (student) and the medic. So potential for two high risk exposures, as there isn't much room in the back. Not that the third medic is not a high risk, but the others are definitely at higher risk.

 

[blacknail]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

CNN is reporting that the ambulance stayed in service for 2 days after transporting the ebola case.

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

City of Dallas on high readiness after first Ebola case in U.S.

The City of Dallas has activated their Emergency Operations Center and is on Level 2: High Readiness after receiving confirmation that Dallas has the first diagnosed Ebola case in the nation. The Dallas Fire Rescue EMS crew that transported the patient Sunday morning took all safety precautions and has been quarantined according to CDC and Dallas County Health guidelines.

The City is working closely with Dallas County Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control after the unnamed patient at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas was confirmed to have the virus at 3:32 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. The person moved to Dallas from Liberia a week ago.

The CDC is working with other U.S. government agencies, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other domestic and international partners in an international response to the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa. To date, the CDC and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response have developed five checklists that provide practical and specific suggestions to ensure multiple sectors of the healthcare system (including hospitals, healthcare providers, emergency medical services, and healthcare coalitions) are able to detect possible Ebola cases, protect your employees, and respond appropriately.

All checklists are available at http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/index.html under the "Preparedness and Response" section.

http://www.dallascitynewsroom.com/community/ebola_093014.htm

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Ebola victim seemed fine before flight

By AVI SELK
Staff Writer
Published: 30 September 2014 11:02 PM
...
As doctors cared for the man, kept in isolation at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, the public learned the first few, limited details of his life.

Officials declined to release his name but said he lived and worked in Liberia, where they believe he caught Ebola from one of its thousands of West African victims.

It? s not clear why he traveled to Dallas. Federal officials said he was visiting family, while city officials said he moved here.
...
He arrived in the U.S. on Sept. 20. The man spent most of last week with his U.S. relatives. He first fell ill last Wednesday.

...By Friday, the man was sick enough to seek help at Texas Health Presbyterian.

In a decision that hospital officials are now reviewing, doctors sent him home with antibiotics. His tests looked ?unimpressive,? an epidemiologist told reporters.
...
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metro/20140930-ebola-victim-seemed-fine-before-flight.ece

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Paramedics, ER staff under Ebola observation

Jason Whitely, 11:06 p.m. CDT September 30, 2014

DALLAS ? Three Dallas Fire-Rescue paramedics and several emergency room workers at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital are off work and under observation after making contact with the patient being treated for Ebola.

None of the individuals have been identified.

Tuesday night, the Centers for Disease Control flew in a team of 10 Ebola experts to help local officials and the hospital staff.
...
Dallas Fire-Rescue told News 8 that the paramedics who treated the man put on gloves and a mask after the patient exhibited possible signs of a communicable disease.

"The patient did exhibit high fever, nausea, vomiting, GI issues, along those lines," said Assistant Chief Norman Seals.
...
While doctors at Presbyterian treat the patient, the CDC and Dallas County health officials will begin a "contact investigation," which requires interviewing everyone the patient contacted.

Dallas County Health Director Zachary Thompson said that includes four or five children, several adults, and the emergency medical personnel ? about a dozen people in all.
...
http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/heal...f-under-observation-for-ebola-signs/16516991/

 

[alert]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Paramedics, ER staff under Ebola observation

Dallas County Health Director Zachary Thompson said that includes four or five children, several adults, and the emergency medical personnel ? about a dozen people in all.
...
http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/heal...f-under-observation-for-ebola-signs/16516991/

A dozen contacts would be a very low number. The single case in Senegal had 69 contacts. Dr. Enemuo in Port Harcourt had over 400. Mr. Sawyer himself had about 200 primary contacts.

With an isolation date of the 28th, it appears all these people will be under observation until October 19.

 

[Vibrant62]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - travel history to Liberia

The concern here is if they are only looking for direct contacts. In the case of Sawyer etc contract tracing included 'casual' contacts.

I would guess determining who casual contacts might be would be harder, and including casual contacts (e.g. individulas who rode in the same ambulance before it was sanitised) would boost these numbers significantly. Much will depend on the degree of caution exercised by the CDC as far as contact tracing goes.

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - traveled from Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - traveled from Liberia

Thompson: Associate of Dallas Ebola patient under close monitoring

Marjorie Owens, WFAA 8:16 a.m. CDT October 1, 2014

DALLAS ? Due to close contact with a patient diagnosed with the Ebola virus, a second person is under the close monitoring of health officials as a possible second patient, said the director of Dallas County's health department Wednesday morning in an interview with WFAA.

Zachary Thompson, the director of Dallas County Health and Human Services, says all those who've been in close contact with the diagnosed patient are being monitored as a precaution. However, Thompson pointed to one person in particular as a potential second case.

"Let me be real frank to the Dallas County residents, the fact that we have one confirmed case, there may be another case that is a close associate with this particular patient," he said in a Wednesday interview with WFAA. "... So this is real. There should be a concern, but it's contained to the specific family members and close friends at this moment."
...
http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/heal...n-dallas-county-ebola-patient-cases/16524303/

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - traveled from Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - traveled from Liberia

Ebola case stokes concerns for Liberians in Dallas

Posted: Oct 01, 2014 8:06 AM CDT Updated: Oct 01, 2014 8:08 AM CDT
By DAVID WARREN and LAURAN NEERGAARD
Associated Press
...
"I have no doubt that we'll stop this in its tracks in the U.S. But I also have no doubt that -- as long as the outbreak continues in Africa -- we need to be on our guard," Frieden said...
...
Stanley Gaye, president of the Liberian Community Association of Dallas-Fort Worth, said the 10,000-strong Liberian population in North Texas is skeptical of the CDC's assurances because Ebola has ravaged their country.

"We've been telling people to try to stay away from social gatherings," Gaye said at a community meeting Tuesday evening. Large get-togethers are a prominent part of Liberian culture.

"We need to know who it is so that they (family members) can all go get tested," Gaye told The Associated Press. "If they are aware, they should let us know."
...
The association's vice president encouraged all who may have come in contact with the virus to visit a doctor and she warned against alarm in the community.

"We don't want to get a panic going," said vice president Roseline Sayon.

"We embrace those people who are coming forward. Don't let the stigma keep you from getting tested."
...
http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/26675151/ebola-case-stokes-concerns-for-liberians-in-dallas

 

[Amish Country]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - traveled from Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - traveled from Liberia

Possible second patient.

Thompson: Associate of Dallas Ebola patient under close monitoring
Marjorie Owens, WFAA 8:16 a.m. CDT October 1, 2014

DALLAS — Due to close contact with a patient diagnosed with the Ebola virus, a second person is under the close monitoring of health officials as a possible second patient, said the director of Dallas County's health department Wednesday morning in an interview with WFAA.

Zachary Thompson, the director of Dallas County Health and Human Services, says all those who've been in close contact with the diagnosed patient are being monitored as a precaution. However, Thompson pointed to one person in particular as a potential second case.

"Let me be real frank to the Dallas County residents, the fact that we have one confirmed case, there may be another case that is a close associate with this particular patient," he said in a Wednesday interview with WFAA. "... So this is real. There should be a concern, but it's contained to the specific family members and close friends at this moment."

The director continued to assure residents that the public isn't at risk as health officials have the virus contained.

Tuesday, the Center for Disease Control confirmed a patient at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas was the first person to be diagnosed with the Ebola virus in the United States.

The patient left Liberia on September 19 and arrived in Dallas the following day. On September 26, he sought treatment at the hospital after becoming ill but was sent home with a prescription for antibiotics. Two days later, he was admitted with more critical symptoms, after requiring an ambulance ride to the hospital.

Local health officials say the patient was in contact with several children before he was hospitalized. Thompson says each of those children have been kept home and are under precautionary monitoring.

The Dallas County school district says they're working closely with health officials.

"DISD is in contact with Dallas County Health Department regarding the Ebola investigation," read a statement from Jon Dahlander, a spokesman with the district. "They are consulting with the County on any additional action that may need to be taken during the course of investigation. This is part of routine emergency operations during a health incident in the county. This is same protocol taken during things like flu and Tuberculosis cases."

http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/healt...ases/16524303/

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - traveled from Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - traveled from Liberia

Thanks everyone. I would like to have a thread for each case. If a 2nd case is confirmed, please start a new thread and I will move a couple of the above posts to the new thread.

 

[Amish Country]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - traveled from Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - traveled from Liberia

WFAA 8 ABC

The CDC has a team of 10 Ebola experts in Dallas.
Jason Whitely, WFAA
Wed, 01 Oct 2014 06:27:46 GMT


DALLAS - Three Dallas Fire-Rescue paramedics and several emergency room workers at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital are off work and under observation after making contact with the patient being treated for Ebola.

None of the individuals have been identified.

Tuesday night, the Centers for Disease Control flew in a team of 10 Ebola experts to help local officials and the hospital staff.

Perhaps the most tangible evidence of Ebola in Dallas is an ambulance parked in a city lot in Pleasant Grove.

It's quarantined and roped off with red tape warning of a biohazard. Ambulance No. 37 carried the Ebola patient to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital on Sunday morning.

Dallas Fire-Rescue told News 8 that the paramedics who treated the man put on gloves and a mask after the patient exhibited possible signs of a communicable disease.

"The patient did exhibit high fever, nausea, vomiting, GI issues, along those lines," said Assistant Chief Norman Seals.

Those three Dallas paramedics are under observation for at least three weeks. That's the maximum amount of time, the CDC said, for Ebola symptoms to develop.

"I spoke to all three medics personally this evening. They seem relaxed," Seals said. "They didn't have a lot of concern at this time, and were kind of getting a little tickled with the hype coming with this. They seem perfectly at ease."

While doctors at Presbyterian treat the patient, the CDC and Dallas County health officials will begin a "contact investigation," which requires interviewing everyone the patient contacted.

Dallas County Health Director Zachary Thompson said that includes four or five children, several adults, and the emergency medical personnel - about a dozen people in all.

"What we're hearing is that the individual was a traveler," Thompson said. "Then we're hearing they might live here. All this has to be flushed out in this contact investigation."

Thompson maintained that this is a manageable health situation.
http://wfaa.mlnwap.com/article.html#!/11687/5c45f95ba728a850a4825fe8783403df

 

[alert]

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - traveled from Liberia

Re: US - Texas: Patient tests positive for Ebola in Dallas - traveled from Liberia

Reports of a second case may be errant. Remember the fog of war. This was published about 50 minutes ago.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metr...ditional-suspected-ebola-cases-identified.ece

Health officials: No additional suspected Ebola cases identified


Published: 30 September 2014 11:02 PM

Updated: 01 October 2014 08:28 AM


Dallas County Health and Human services said early Wednesday that no other suspected Ebola cases have been identified.

Spokeswoman Erikka Neroes said investigators, who are interviewing people in contact with the confirmed case, have found no one else exhibiting symptoms. But investigators are still in the process of interviewing family members and others