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Texas Ebola patient told hospital of travel from West Africa but was released Texas Ebola patient told hospital of travel from West Africa but was released
(about 1 hour later)
The man in Texas who tested positive for Ebola told hospital officials he had traveled from West Africa when he sought treatment on Friday, but that information was not relayed to everyone treating him at that time, authorities said Wednesday. Despite national guidelines for evaluating potential Ebola cases and worldwide awareness of an epidemic that has killed thousands in West Africa, a man who later tested positive for the disease was released from a Dallas hospital despite saying that he had traveled to Texas from Liberia.
As a result, the man was diagnosed with a “low-grade, common viral disease” and sent home that day, said Mark C. Lester, executive vice president of the health-care system that includes Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, the Dallas facility treating the Ebola patient. The man returned two days later and was placed in isolation before he became the first person ever diagnosed with Ebola in the United States. But as a result of this lapse, he was able to leave the hospital and interact with more people while experiencing symptoms, which is when the virus becomes contagious.
Now officials are watching at least 12 to 18 people with whom he may have come into contact, including five children he may have been around during the time between his hospital visits, officials said Wednesday.
There are no other suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola in Texas, and authorities continue to stress that they can contain the virus and prevent a rampant spread. Still, the lapse last week
The man told a nurse on Friday that he had traveled from Liberia to Texas, but this detail was not shared with everyone treating him, said Mark C. Lester, executive vice president of the health-care system that includes Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, the Dallas facility treating the man.
“Regretfully, that information was not fully communicated throughout the full team,” Lester said during a news conference Wednesday. “As a result, the full import of that information wasn’t factored into the clinical decision-making.”“Regretfully, that information was not fully communicated throughout the full team,” Lester said during a news conference Wednesday. “As a result, the full import of that information wasn’t factored into the clinical decision-making.”
The oversight allowed this man to leave the hospital at a time when he was symptomatic, according to the timeline outlined by federal health officials. The Centers for Disease Control issued national guidelines in August for evaluating potential Ebola cases, which included seeing if a patient with certain symptoms had recently visited a West African country hit by the Ebola outbreak. As a result, the man, who had come to the hospital with a fever and some abdominal pain, was diagnosed with a “low-grade, common viral disease” and sent home that day, Lester said.
In addition, the CDC has been conducting briefings for months to inform hospitals and clinicians about the proper protocol for diagnosing patients suspected of having the virus as well as the ways to manage people suspected of having it. The oversight allowed this man to leave the hospital at a time when he was symptomatic, according to the timeline outlined by federal health officials. The Centers for Disease Control issued national guidelines in August for evaluating potential Ebola cases, which included seeing if a patient with certain symptoms had recently visited a West African country hit by the Ebola outbreak. And the CDC has been conducting briefings for months to inform hospitals and clinicians about the proper protocol for diagnosing patients suspected of having the virus as well as the ways to manage people suspected of having it.
The Texas Ebola patient is named Thomas Eric Duncan, according to the Associated Press. Duncan’s sister told the AP he was sent home with antibiotics that day.The Texas Ebola patient is named Thomas Eric Duncan, according to the Associated Press. Duncan’s sister told the AP he was sent home with antibiotics that day.
Duncan returned to the same hospital in Dallas two days after being released and was placed in isolation after being recognized as being a potential Ebola patient. On Tuesday, testing at a state laboratory in Austin confirmed that he was the first person diagnosed with Ebola in the United States. Duncan returned to the same hospital in Dallas two days later in worse shape and was placed in isolation after being recognized as being a potential Ebola patient. On Tuesday, testing at a state laboratory in Austin confirmed that he had the disease.
When Duncan went to the hospital on Friday, he was not vomiting and did not have any diarrhea, so it was unlikely any health care workers were exposed to the virus, said David Goodman, the hospital epidemiologist. He had a fever and some abdominal pain, Goodman said.When Duncan went to the hospital on Friday, he was not vomiting and did not have any diarrhea, so it was unlikely any health care workers were exposed to the virus, said David Goodman, the hospital epidemiologist. He had a fever and some abdominal pain, Goodman said.
Health officials are still working to track down anyone who may have come into contact with Duncan. The state health department said they have no other suspected cases at this point and said they have not conducted any other Ebola tests so far. Health officials are still working to track down anyone who may have come into contact with Duncan. The CDC has sent a team of 10 people to Texas to work with state and local departments at tracking anyone who had close contact with this patient.
But there are between 12 and 18 people who may have come into contact with this man, and five of them are school-aged children, authorities said. Dallas County health officials says they are continuing to monitor the patient’s family members and are checking symptoms twice each day. The state health department said they have no other suspected cases at this point and said they have not conducted any other Ebola tests so far.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) said during the same news conference that the “school-aged children” who were found to have had contact with Duncan are being watched at home for any signs of the illness. “We’ve been on the lookout for this,” said David Lakey, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services. “Obviously, this disease is scary to a large # of individuals.”
Five of the people who came into contact with Duncan were “school-aged children,” Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) said during the same news conference. These children are being watched at home for any signs of the illness.
The Dallas Independent School District said it was told Wednesday morning that five students who attend four of its schools — one high school, one middle school and two elementary schools — may have had contact with the Ebola patient.The Dallas Independent School District said it was told Wednesday morning that five students who attend four of its schools — one high school, one middle school and two elementary schools — may have had contact with the Ebola patient.
None of these students are showing any symptoms, so there is no indication that the disease could have spread to any other students or staff, the district said.None of these students are showing any symptoms, so there is no indication that the disease could have spread to any other students or staff, the district said.
Authorities are taking every step to monitor Duncan’s health as well as combat any potential spread, Perry said.Authorities are taking every step to monitor Duncan’s health as well as combat any potential spread, Perry said.
“This case is serious,” Perry said. “Rest assured, our system is working as it should.”“This case is serious,” Perry said. “Rest assured, our system is working as it should.”
Duncan had traveled to the U.S. on commercial flights. The State Department has warned U.S. citizens against non-essential travel to Liberia and Sierra Leone. There are currently no plans to alter the travel warning in the wake of Duncan’s diagnosis, according to a State Department official.
United Airlines said on Wednesday that it was told by the CDC that the man with Ebola had used the airline to travel from Brussels to Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C., before flying from Dulles to Dallas-Fort Worth. However, authorities have said that there is no danger of anyone getting sick from the flight because the man was not symptomatic at the time.
On Aug. 1, the CDC issued national guidelines for evaluating potential Ebola cases. The advice boiled down to a three-prong test: If a patient had a temperature of at least 101.5 degrees, plus another symptom such as headache, body pains or diarrhea and had visited a West African nation hit by the Ebola outbreak in the previous three weeks, that’s a red flag for Ebola.On Aug. 1, the CDC issued national guidelines for evaluating potential Ebola cases. The advice boiled down to a three-prong test: If a patient had a temperature of at least 101.5 degrees, plus another symptom such as headache, body pains or diarrhea and had visited a West African nation hit by the Ebola outbreak in the previous three weeks, that’s a red flag for Ebola.
Hospitals were told to first rule out malaria, a disease with similar symptoms. And several of the suspected Ebola cases that popped up over the summer in hospitals in Europe and the United States turned out to be that mosquito-borne disease.Hospitals were told to first rule out malaria, a disease with similar symptoms. And several of the suspected Ebola cases that popped up over the summer in hospitals in Europe and the United States turned out to be that mosquito-borne disease.
Later in August, the CDC helped 13 states develop the capability to test for Ebola virus in state public health labs. Texas was one of those states. That way blood samples would not need to be shipped to the CDC’s lab in Atlanta.Later in August, the CDC helped 13 states develop the capability to test for Ebola virus in state public health labs. Texas was one of those states. That way blood samples would not need to be shipped to the CDC’s lab in Atlanta.
And in early September, the CDC issued more detailed steps for 911 systems and first responders facing potential cases of Ebola, such as suggesting 911 dispatchers ask people calling for help if they’ve traveled recently to West Africa. But that advice was aimed only at places where the Ebola risk is “elevated in a community,” according to the CDC. That didn’t apply to any U.S. communities four weeks back, though it does apply now to Dallas.And in early September, the CDC issued more detailed steps for 911 systems and first responders facing potential cases of Ebola, such as suggesting 911 dispatchers ask people calling for help if they’ve traveled recently to West Africa. But that advice was aimed only at places where the Ebola risk is “elevated in a community,” according to the CDC. That didn’t apply to any U.S. communities four weeks back, though it does apply now to Dallas.
The CDC’s recommendations for hospitals were re-emphasized Tuesday by Dallas County Health and Human Services, which urged hospitals to review checklists for evaluating potential Ebola cases.The CDC’s recommendations for hospitals were re-emphasized Tuesday by Dallas County Health and Human Services, which urged hospitals to review checklists for evaluating potential Ebola cases.
But it’s unclear whether that message is reaching front-line health workers. National Nurses United, a union representing 185,000 nurses nationwide, said it found that 60 percent of its members felt U.S. hospitals were not prepared for Ebola.But it’s unclear whether that message is reaching front-line health workers. National Nurses United, a union representing 185,000 nurses nationwide, said it found that 60 percent of its members felt U.S. hospitals were not prepared for Ebola.
“If hospitals have been told how to respond,” said the group’s executive director RoseAnn DeMoro, “they haven’t told the people taking care of the patients. They are outside the information loop.”“If hospitals have been told how to respond,” said the group’s executive director RoseAnn DeMoro, “they haven’t told the people taking care of the patients. They are outside the information loop.”
Officials again stressed how difficult it is to contract Ebola, which is spread only through direct contact and bodily fluids, and said the health care system in the U.S. is prepared to contain this virus. Officials again outlined how difficult it is to contract Ebola, which is spread only through direct contact and bodily fluids. They also again stressed that the health care system in the U.S. is prepared to contain this virus.
“This is not West Africa,” said David Lakey, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services. “This is a very sophisticated city, a very sophisticated hospital. The dynamics are so significantly different than they are in West Africa that the chances of it being spread are very, very, very small.” “This is not West Africa,” Lakey said. “This is a very sophisticated city, a very sophisticated hospital. The dynamics are so significantly different than they are in West Africa that the chances of it being spread are very, very, very small.”
Todd C. Frankel and Brady Dennis contributed to this report.Todd C. Frankel and Brady Dennis contributed to this report.
[This post has been updated. First published: 1:55 p.m. Last updated: 4:04 p.m.] [This post has been updated. First published: 1:55 p.m. Last updated: 5:45 p.m.]