Ebola in US: Health officials in Texas monitor 80 people for Ebola infection

Health officials in the US state of Texas have said that they were monitoring about 80 people who had either direct or indirect contact with the first US Ebola virus disease patient for signs of the d

By: Editorial Team | | Published: October 3, 2014 3:25 pm

Health officials in the US state of Texas have said that they were monitoring about 80 people who had either direct or indirect contact with the first US Ebola virus disease patient for signs of the disease. These people have been asked to report to Texas health officials or the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention if they show symptoms of the deadly virus, Erikka Neroes, a spokeswoman for Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services, told the media. Also Read - Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: 4 reasons an eco-friendly Ganesha is good for you

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Earlier, officials said up to 18 people had close contact with Thomas Eric Duncan, the first US Ebola patient identified as a middle-aged male from Liberia. Duncan, who travelled to Dallas to visit relatives and fell ill Sep 24, was confirmed to be infected with Ebola at a Dallas hospital Tuesday and was listed in serious but stable condition, Xinhua reported. None of the 80 people who had direct or indirect contact with Duncan has shown symptoms of Ebola, US authorities said. Nor had the patient relayed the deadly virus to paramedics who rushed him to hospital in ambulance or communicated the disease to anyone who took care of him in the hospital. Also Read - Weight loss diet: How to eat healthy in a restaurant when you want to lose weight

Health officials issued legally binding orders late Wednesday, asking four family members of Duncan to stay home and not have any visitors until at least Oct 19, when the incubation period should be over. It can take as long as 21 days for Ebola symptoms to show up. Authorities are calling for calm as panic set in after officials said Wednesday that five students who had close contact with the Ebola patient went to four different schools this week. Though officials assured it was highly unlikely that the five students could be infected, some parents and students told the media they were reluctant to go back to school. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has sent a crew of infectious disease experts to Dallas to help local agencies deal with the case. Ebola, which is spread via contact with bodily fluids, can have symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, vomiting and bleeding. It has infected 7,718 people and killed 3,338 since its outbreak in West Africa this year, according to figures from the World Health Organisation.

Will US health authorities combat Ebola spread?

Health authorities confident about controlling it

In an official statement confirming the first Ebola positive case in US, Tom Frieden, director of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assured the citizens that the outbreak won t spread beyond that one patient. There is no doubt, in my mind, that we will stop it here. I have no doubt that we will control this case of Ebola so it does not spread widely in this country, Frieden mentioned. Ebola can be scary. But there s all the difference in the world between the US and other parts of Africa where Ebola is spreading. We will certainly make sure this case does not threaten our communities, he assured.

US was well-prepared in advance to tackle Ebola

Not only does the United States have sufficient health resources, it also has a stringent isolation protocol in place to tackle additional cases, if any. US President Barack Obama and Frieden have discussed implementation of the protocols to mitigate the risk, according to the official statement. Besides, the healthcare system in US is strong, the infrastructure and facilities are in place and the public health professionals there are well-trained, which highlight preparedness of US for tackling Ebola.

Image source: Getty images

With inputs from IANS

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Published : October 3, 2014 3:25 pm

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