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Dallas hospital worker tests positive for Ebola Dallas health worker who tested positive for Ebola wore ‘full’ protective gear
(35 minutes later)
In the first apparent case of Ebola transmission in the United States, a Texas hospital worker who treated an Ebola-stricken Liberian man has tested positive for the deadly virus. The preliminary test result was announced early Sunday, four days after the death of Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan in Dallas; the diagnosis has not been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the first apparent case of Ebola transmission in the United States, a Texas hospital worker who treated an Ebola-stricken Liberian man has tested positive for the deadly virus.
The preliminary test result was announced early Sunday, four days after the death of Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan in Dallas; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not confirmed the diagnosis.
The Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital worker reported “a low-grade fever” Friday, the Texas Department of State Health Services said in a statement. This person “was isolated and referred for testing.” The preliminary test result was received late Saturday.The Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital worker reported “a low-grade fever” Friday, the Texas Department of State Health Services said in a statement. This person “was isolated and referred for testing.” The preliminary test result was received late Saturday.
“We knew a second case could be a reality, and we’ve been preparing for this possibility,” Texas Health Commissioner David Lakey said in a statement. “We are broadening our team in Dallas and working with extreme diligence to prevent further spread.”“We knew a second case could be a reality, and we’ve been preparing for this possibility,” Texas Health Commissioner David Lakey said in a statement. “We are broadening our team in Dallas and working with extreme diligence to prevent further spread.”
Health officials have already begun the contact tracing process, scrambling to identify and check in with anybody who recently made contact with the health-care worker. Those people “will be monitored based on the nature of their interactions and the potential they were exposed to the virus,” the state said.Health officials have already begun the contact tracing process, scrambling to identify and check in with anybody who recently made contact with the health-care worker. Those people “will be monitored based on the nature of their interactions and the potential they were exposed to the virus,” the state said.
It was unclear what role the worker had in caring for Duncan, who was the first person in the United States to be diagnosed with Ebola.  It was unclear what role the worker had in caring for Duncan, who was the first person in the United States to be diagnosed with Ebola.
In a statement, Texas Health Resources, which operates Texas Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, said the worker “had been under the self-monitoring regimen prescribed by the CDC, based on involvement in caring for patient Thomas Eric Duncan during his inpatient care that started on September 28.” “That health-care worker is a heroic person who helped provide care to Mr. Duncan,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said. “We expected that it was possible that a second person could contract the virus. Contingency plans were put into place, and the hospital will discuss the way that the health-care worker followed those contingency plans, which will make our jobs in monitoring and containment much easier in this case than in the last one.”
The worker is in isolation, in stable condition, the hospital system said. The worker is in isolation and in stable condition, the hospital system said.
“We have known that further cases of Ebola are a possibility among those who were in contact with Mr. Duncan before he passed away last week,” the statement said. “The system of monitoring, quarantine and isolation was established to protect those who cared for Mr. Duncan as well as the community at large by identifying any potential Ebola cases as early as possible and getting those individuals into treatment immediately. Daniel Varga, chief clinical officer for Texas Health Resources, which operates Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, said the worker had been under self-monitoring in recent days, which includes taking a temperature twice daily. When the health worker showed signs of a fever, the person notified the hospital, went directly there and immediately was admitted to an isolation room. Varga said the entire sequence of events took less than 90 minutes.
The CDC did not consider person to be “high risk,” Varga said. The person treated Duncan, the Ebola patient, after his second visit to the ER, on Sept. 28. The health worker was “following full CDC precautions,” including wearing a gown, gloves, a mask and a protective face shield.
“We’re very concerned,” Varga said, though he added that the hospital is “confident that the precautions that we have in place are protecting our health-care workers.”
The hospital has put its emergency room on “diversion,” which means that ambulances are not currently bringing patients to the ER, though patients already in the hospital are still being cared for.
“The system of monitoring, quarantine and isolation was established to protect those who cared for Mr. Duncan as well as the community at large by identifying any potential Ebola cases as early as possible and getting those individuals into treatment immediately,” Varga said.
Dallas officials deployed hazmat teams to decontaminate the entrance and common areas of an apartment complex in the city where the health worker lived and the vehicle that the person used to travel to the hospital. That person’s home has been secured, and law enforcement officials are ensuring that no one enters. The city also issued reverse 911 calls to homes in the area on Sunday morning.
“While this is obviously bad news, it is not news that should bring about panic,” Jenkins said. 
Duncan traveled by plane from Liberia to Texas through Brussels and Dulles International Airport near Washington, though he wasn’t symptomatic at the time of his trip.Duncan traveled by plane from Liberia to Texas through Brussels and Dulles International Airport near Washington, though he wasn’t symptomatic at the time of his trip.
He became sick several days after arriving in Dallas and first sought treatment Sept. 25. But he was released by the hospital, despite saying that he had traveled from Liberia and that he had a fever and abdominal pain.He became sick several days after arriving in Dallas and first sought treatment Sept. 25. But he was released by the hospital, despite saying that he had traveled from Liberia and that he had a fever and abdominal pain.
He was admitted to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital on Sept. 28, and the CDC confirmed Sept. 30 that he was infected with Ebola.He was admitted to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital on Sept. 28, and the CDC confirmed Sept. 30 that he was infected with Ebola.
Ebola is only contagious if someone has symptoms. It can spread through bodily fluids or infected animals but not through the air. Ebola is contagious only if someone has symptoms. It can spread through bodily fluids or infected animals but not through the air.
The virus has killed more than 4,000 people and infected more than twice as many this year, according to the World Health Organization.The virus has killed more than 4,000 people and infected more than twice as many this year, according to the World Health Organization.
Months after the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history began ravaging West African countries, the virus has slowly begun to spread around the world.Months after the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history began ravaging West African countries, the virus has slowly begun to spread around the world.
On Monday, a Spanish sanitary technician who had treated an Ebola-stricken priest in Madrid tested positive for the virus, becoming the first case of Ebola transmission outside of Africa. On Monday, a Spanish sanitary technician who had treated an Ebola-stricken priest in Madrid tested positive for the virus, becoming the first case of Ebola transmission outside Africa.
The nursing assistant said she may have contracted the virus while removing her protective suit. Health-care workers at her hospital are now refusing to work, out of concern that the safety conditions there are inadequate.The nursing assistant said she may have contracted the virus while removing her protective suit. Health-care workers at her hospital are now refusing to work, out of concern that the safety conditions there are inadequate.
[This post has been updated.][This post has been updated.]
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