Texas Ebola patient could have exposed 100 people to virus

By Balitang America Staff, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

Oct. 2, 2014

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – Health officials are reaching out to as many as 100 people who may have come in contact with 42-year-old Thomas Duncan, the Texas Ebola patient.

Before arriving in the U.S. last month Duncan reportedly had contact with a woman who died of Ebola in his hometown of Monrovia, Liberia.

Officials are questioning anyone who had subsequent contact with Duncan and will focus on those with a potential risk of infection.

This contradicts an earlier report that 80 people were being monitored for Ebola in the Dallas area.

Officials say so far no one has shown symptoms of the deadly virus, and most are not being quarantined.

Health officials have ordered four close relatives of Duncan to stay in their Dallas home and not have any visitors until at least Oct. 19.

Ebola ruled out in Hawaii case

Meanwhile, health officials in Hawaii ruled out Ebola as the illness of a patient who was being monitored in isolation at a Honolulu hospital for Ebola-like symptoms.

The Hawaii Nurses Association says the person was being treated at the Queen’s Medical Center.

Health Director Dr. Linda Rosen said that patient did not meet the clinical or travel exposure criteria for an Ebola infection.

“The hospital acted in the best interests of the community, with an abundance of caution,” Rosen told KHON2. “We commend the facility for being prepared and remaining vigilant regarding the risk of Ebola.”

Doctors say the patient could have a number of illnesses, including flu, malaria and typhoid.

“What we’ve asked the hospitals to tell us about is anyone with a travel history, and anyone with a fever,” Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Melissa Viray said. “And when those things come together, we’ve asked them to be very careful and in an abundance of caution while you’re working, for whatever else might be going on, also make sure you isolate against Ebola, just in case.”

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