Ebola outbreak - general thread #1

[fhc]

Liberia is in West Africa.

There have been outbreaks in West Africa (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria & Senegal) and Central Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo).

Thank you, corrected my posts...

patient travel: 9/19-9/20

showed illness symptoms 9/24

went for care 9/26

admitted to hospital 9/28

 

[Peliman]

Patient arrived in the USA on Sept 20, had no symptoms for about 4 days after arrival. Had symptoms for a couple days and presented to the hospital and was admitted on the 28th.

Disclaimer: Subject to if I got that right.

 

[kai]

Is anyone watching able to transcribe please?

 

[zwiebel]

'No doubt' we will be able to control Ebola.

 

[zwiebel]

Dr Edward Goodman, Texas epidemiologist, says Ebola 'is not an airborne infection'.

 

[zwiebel]

Rebecca Jarvis (@RebeccaJarvis) tweeted at 11:52pm - 30 Sep 14:

Ebola Patient Timeline:
9/19 - Leaves Liberia w/o symptoms
9/20 - Arrives in TX
9/24 - Symptoms begin
9/26 - Seeks care
9/28 - Hospitalized (https://twitter.com/RebeccaJarvis/status/517069543748141056)

 

[nrdsb4]

This is exactly the kind of thing I was fearful about-NOT the two Atlanta patients who were brought here with full knowledge (and therefore precautions) of their disease.

If we allow patients to come to the US from these affected countries "but with no symptoms," there will be more of these events. Because of the long incubation period, it wouldn't be that hard to slip into the country. I have to wonder if this patient didn't KNOW he had been exposed but remained silent because he wanted to be HERE when he presented with symptoms because he knew the care here would be superior.

 

[Lyra500]

From Press conference

Priorities

1. Care for the patient who is critically ill
2. Look after family members
3. Look after potential contacts
4. They do not feel passengers on the flight are at risk since the patient did not become symptomatic until four days after he arrived.

Details of individual are covered by patient confidentiality

Q: Do you expect patient to remain in Texas or be transferred to a specialist centre?
A: Any hospital which can do isolation can del with Ebola. Just need to be able to provide strict isolation so no need to move the patient.

Q:Can you tell us about how sick they are, how treated and how many contact are expected.
A: Patient confidentiality precludes any info apart from him being ill and in intensive care. Contacts - PH is continuing follow up as started from day one. Additional team coming to Texas to support the PH work in Texas.

Q:any more detail about potential exposures. What was patient doing between 24th when he got ill and 28th when admitted. How many contacts? Handful or more?
A: Handful seems an appropriate term. A few relatives and a coupe of community contacts.

 

[Peliman]

Rebecca Jarvis (@RebeccaJarvis) tweeted at 11:52pm - 30 Sep 14:

Ebola Patient Timeline:
9/19 - Leaves Liberia w/o symptoms
9/20 - Arrives in TX
9/24 - Symptoms begin
9/26 - Seeks care
9/28 - Hospitalized (https://twitter.com/RebeccaJarvis/status/517069543748141056)

If it matters but to be noted. It's unknown at this time if there were any transfers like through the Atlanta hub on the return flight.

 

[zwiebel]

ABC7 News (@abc7newsBayArea) tweeted at 11:54pm - 30 Sep 14:

CDC: initial symptoms are non-specific and not immediately identified as #ebola. (https://twitter.com/abc7newsBayArea/status/517070049517912064)

*Note, as soon as I posted my computer wouldn't let me copy and link upthread, it started letting me.

 

[zwiebel]

ABC7 News (@abc7newsBayArea) tweeted at 11:56pm - 30 Sep 14:

CDC: working with airports in Africa to screen passengers headed to the US to make sure sick individuals don't board planes. (https://twitter.com/abc7newsBayArea/status/517070591472320512)

 

[zwiebel]

ABC7 News (@abc7newsBayArea) tweeted at 11:57pm - 30 Sep 14:

CDC: any hospital in the US that can do isolation, can handle #ebola cases. (https://twitter.com/abc7newsBayArea/status/517070846158848000)

 

[fhc]

When asked if this was a resident of our area, Dr. said the patient had traveled here to visit family that lives in this area.

 

[zwiebel]

ABC7 News (@abc7newsBayArea) tweeted at 12:01am - 1 Oct 14:

CDC: US patient may have been exposed to just a handful of people since returning the US; probably did not infect others. (https://twitter.com/abc7newsBayArea/status/517071703638175746)

 

[mck16]

This is exactly the kind of thing I was fearful about-NOT the two Atlanta patients who were brought here with full knowledge (and therefore precautions) of their disease.

If we allow patients to come to the US from these affected countries "but with no symptoms," there will be more of these events. Because of the long incubation period, it wouldn't be that hard to slip into the country. I have to wonder if this patient didn't KNOW he had been exposed but remained silent because he wanted to be HERE when he presented with symptoms because he knew the care here would be superior.

Please don't go there.

 

[Lyra500]

Press conference

Just going over what happened in Nigeria.

Even though patient was not in isolation, they managed to control outbreak with good procedures and limited it t 19.

Q: How big will CDC team be?
A: Epidemiologists, hospital infection control - whatever is required. Local state health departments are always in charge.

Q: Is this an American or a visitor. Has contract tracing begun?
A: He was in this country to visit family - further details in a few days. Contract tracing begun today.

Q: What steps can you take to reassure people who are worried about having passed through the same airport or been on the same flight.
A: People welcome to call for advice. Important that people understand about Ebola. Easy to kill by washing hands and to stop spread by using gloves etc. People are only infective when they become sick. Even when they have a fever, in some cases the tests cannot detect Ebola yet because there is so little virus.

Q:Is this the first ever case diagnosed in the USA? How old id the patient?
A: First patient diagnosed outside of Africa with Ebola. There have been cases with a different haemorrhagic fever (Marburg). Even though they underwent surgery before diagnosis, they did not pass it on.

Q: How does the contact tracing process work?
A Core PH process, systematic. Interview patient, all family members, identify all movements between symptoms and admission. Trace movements and potential contacts. Individuals contacted in order of risk. Always err on the side of over identification of possible contacts. Observed and monitored for 21 days.

 

[zwiebel]

ABC7 News (@abc7newsBayArea) tweeted at 12:04am - 1 Oct 14:

CDC: the patient came to America to visit family. CDC will not say if the person is American or foreigner. (https://twitter.com/abc7newsBayArea/status/517072506302107648)

 

[matou]

I thought ebola could travel via the air. hmmm

 

[Lyra500]

Press conference Q&A

Q: Is this person an American citizen?
Q: Will you release flight information? A: Only where we feel there was a risk - no risk associated with the flight.
Q: Was he staying with family or in a hotel?
A: Staying with family. He was not infectious when he travelled.

Ebola is a scary disease, but we can stop it in its track via strong infection control and strong PH contact tracing.

 

[jjenny]

I'm hoping it is someone who has travelled abroad recently, and not contracted it in the US. Also hoping someone will be able to post tweets from the presser here - I can't do it at the moment, with computer probs I'm having.

Yes, from West Africa. Which is why they suspected Ebola to begin with.