Officials: We mishandled the Ebola threat

By Balitang America, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

Oct. 17, 2014

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – Authorities from different agencies admitted they made mistakes when it came to handling the Ebola threat.

The World Health Organization, the United Nation’s public health arm admits it botched attempts to stop the outbreak in West Africa, blaming incompetent staffing and lack of information.

Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention admit it made a mistake, particularly in handling the first Ebola case in America.

The CDC says a rapid-response team should have been deployed to Dallas right away to help train the staff treating Thomas Eric Duncan, who has since died from the virus.

U.S. lawmakers want answers from CDC Director Tom Frieden and other health officials over the U.S. response to the Ebola virus, as well as their plan of action to stop an outbreak in the U.S.

Frieden admits officials still don’t know exactly how two nurses from the Dallas Presbyterian Hospital contracted Ebola from Thomas Eric Duncan.

The CDC says it wants to better prepare U.S. hospital workers to treat Ebola patients while also protecting themselves.

“And we’re open to ideas for what we can do to keep Americans as safe as possible as long as the outbreak is continuing,” said Dr. Thomas Frieden, CDC Director.

Dr. Daniel Varga, a top official at Dallas Presbyterian Hospital where Duncan died and two nurses were infected with Ebola, has also apologized to Congress for his facility’s blunders in handling the highly-contagious disease.

The largest union on nurses in America, led by Filipina Zenei Cortez, insists hospitals are not prepared.

But a Dallas Presbyterian Hospital Pinoy worker told Balitang America, on the condition of anonymity, that his hospital followed protocols that the CDC recommends.

“Pag sinabi mong contact precaution,” said the anonymous worker. “It’s more of gown, mask, goggles or eyewear protection. Complete kami nito. We’re just following the guidelines of the CDC.”

But he admits that following Duncan’s death and the transmission of the virus to two nurses there, kababayans working there are extremely worried for their own safety.

“Talagang may time na maisipan mong ayaw mo nang pumasok, pero alam naming ito ang propesyon namin,” said the anonymous worker. “Ito ang sinumpaan namin. So no matter what it takes, I believe they will face, we will face our responsibilities being healthcare workers to take care of the sick patients.”

He says while there is a big number of Filipinos working in the hospital, none of them were affected.
Officials are monitoring 76 people who had possible contact with Duncan when he was hospitalized, and the Texas hospital has made rooms available for any staffers who want to self-isolate, out of an abundance of caution.