First Ebola Case is Diagnosed in the U.S., CDC Reports

[Hissyspit]

Source: Bloomberg News

@BreakingNews: CDC confirms 1st Ebola case diagnosed in US; press conference at 5:30 pm ET - @CNBC, @Reuters http://t.co/LVo0v4ptr1/s/Y1yP

First Ebola Case Is Diagnosed in the U.S., CDC Reports

By Kelly Gilblom
September 30, 2014 4:50 PM EDT

The first Ebola case has been diagnosed in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control said today in a statement.

A hospital in Dallas had been testing a person based on their travel history and symptoms, said in a statement earlier today. Another patient was being evaluated at a National Institutes of Health facility. It’s not clear if either patient is the one referred to in the CDC’s initial report.

Read more: http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-30/first-ebola-case-is-diagnosed-in-the-u-s-cdc-reports.html

[Agschmid]

2. Wow.

[closeupready]

3. Uh oh.

Now, I'm scared.

[yodermon]

4. TKMR up 19% in after hours trading

http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=tkmr

nothing like profiting off death & disease

[WorseBeforeBetter]

5. Good God...

the comments at that site.

[CoffeeCat]

6. Wow…That happened quicker than I ever expected

I've wondering aloud for some time, how Ebola can be contained to only countries in Africa, given that the CDC estimates that more than a million people will be affected, in Africa alone.

However, I didn't anticipate that Ebola would arrive in the United States, quite so soon.

It will be interesting to hear where the case originated (Omaha area where the American patient was successfully treated, Atlanta/CDC or some other location?).

It's disconcerting. However, Ebola will be more easily contained in the US. We have excellent medical services, and we are not making the same grave medical errors that thousands in Africa have done: Failure to seek medical treatment due to fear; drinking the blood of the infected, refusal to bury the dead, failure to quarantine the sick or dead, etc.

However, this person who is sick in the US, could have spread it to others, depending on how they contracted Ebola, how long they've had it, the number of people they may have been exposed to while contagious, etc. Lots of variables. I guess we'll find out soon.

[Aldo Leopold]

27. I get you, but I'm actually kind of surprised it wasn't sooner.

[jwirr]

29. All it takes is some person who has been exposed where the disease exists to get on a plain and fly

to the USA. That is not along process.

[valerief]

72. Wherever missionaries live. nt

[HereSince1628]

7. There is a headline people dreaded seeing.

I am hoping 'domestic' simply means a case discovered in the US, not a case acquired in the US.

[notadmblnd]

16. The article did say "based on travel"

nt

[Baitball Blogger]

20. Which means that everyone that was on the flight with him needs

to be contacted to determine if they're exhibiting symptoms.

[notadmblnd]

21. I'm under the impression that the disease is passed via contact with thr afflicted's body fluids.

no?

[Baitball Blogger]

24. As in a sneeze?

[notadmblnd]

55. It is not an airborn disease

[Baitball Blogger]

57. Thank goodness for that!

Obviously, I need to brush up on the facts.

[24601]

65. A sneeze can eject both body gases and fluids. If you have ever felt you palm damp after

catching a sneeze, that is the fluid part.

You don't have to draw blood, have sex, swap spit or eliminate waste to spread fluids.

But washing hands is going to be one of the best ways to prevent spread of this.

[Baitball Blogger]

69. Thank you much.

[24601]

90. You're welcome. Stay safe.

[defacto7]

64. Yes a sneeze. That is not an airborne scenario.

And immediate contact with bodily fluid of an infected person who is showing symptoms of the disease. It doesn't not mean people on the flight or in a bus or in a restaurant who breath the same air. That is airborne and it is not transmitted that way.

But if the person has symptoms and sneezes in your face or on your hand and you touch your mouth or eyes, it is possible. That is casual contact not airborne. If the person shows symptoms - Sneezing coughing, diarrhea or later symptoms - blood showing, it is transmittable. It is transmittable through bodily fluids - sweat, mucus, sexual fluids, blood, or fecal material or fecal mucus.

[Baitball Blogger]

70. Oh. Back in worry mode.

I'm sure the CDC is on this one and will do the proper fieldwork if necessary.

[Chemisse]

26. So if the Ebola-infected person blew his nose,

and had the mucous on his hands, then touched something. And another person touched that and rubbed their eyes, could they get the disease?

If so, they need to contact everyone on the plane.

[theHandpuppet]

36. I'm also assuming this person used the facilities at least once during that long flight

Or possibly at an airport where they caught a connecting flight.

[uppityperson]

83. It is transmissible only after symptoms start. If they had no symptoms, they were not contagious

And it sounds like symptoms started after arriving in the usa so no worries about the plane.

[Chemisse]

92. Yeah, I just heard today that he was in US for 4 days before developing symptoms.

Which should simplify the disease control considerably.

[PSPS]

19. Yes, it was discovered here. The person had recently returned from Africa.

[flpoljunkie]

31. BBC News: The man apparently recently returned from Liberia

First Ebola case diagnosed on US soil

The first case of the deadly Ebola virus diagnosed on US soil has been confirmed in Dallas, Texas.

Officials at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital say the unidentified patient is being kept in isolation

The patient is said to be a man believed to have been infected in Liberia prior to displaying symptoms.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-29437070

[Yo_Mama]

76. Person flew in from Africa

No domestic transmission. Yet.

[PasadenaTrudy]

8. It was inevitable...n/t

[CoffeeCat]

9. The patient lives in Texas...

…and it appears that he/she had traveled to parts of the world where the Ebola outbreak has happened.

http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/health/2014/09/29/dallas-presbyterian-hospital-ebola-patient-isolation/16460629/

[RufusTFirefly]

15. Sigh. Yes, I hear opportunity knocking...

[Auggie]

23. My EXACT thought

[BlancheSplanchnik]

33. yay, capitalism. yay, fascism.

They go together like bread and butter. Or like Crises and Opportunists.





Please remind me to read that book! (Agh, too many....can't keep track.)

[RufusTFirefly]

37. I loved "The Shock Doctrine" (that is if you can love something so alarming)

I read "No Logo" right when it came out and have been a huge Naomi Klein fan ever since. I am 125 pages into her latest.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

38. wow, THANKS, RufusTFirefly!

[RufusTFirefly]

41. You're welcome, BlancheSplanchnik! Naomi's messages may seem bleak, but...

... her insights are intriguing, and her energy and idealism are inspiring!

A better world IS possible!

[Hissyspit]

94. Where in hell did you get that cat GIF??

What is it doing?

[BlancheSplanchnik]

95. lol! I googled "Funny Cat gifs"

Then dove in.
Was hard to pick a fave.

[Hissyspit]

96. Not only is he/she walking upright, but

he's a hunchback!

[1dogleft]

56. a little freaking out

might be in order here

[passiveporcupine]

58. I know I know

Instead of just being scanned with full body images before getting on a flight, we now get to go through a decontamination chamber before and after a flight. Our clothing will be removed and replaced with a disposable body suit, and given back to us after we get decontaminated after landing.

Sound good?

[passiveporcupine]

68. You go for it. I don't ever fly so it won't bother me.

[Dopers_Greed]

11. Excellent...where I live too

Maybe this is God punishing Texas for unleashing Rick Perry and Ted Cruz onto the world

[underthematrix]

12. yep - we were taking a trip to LV

not gonna happen now

[PasadenaTrudy]

17. LV?

Las Vegas?

[Ecumenist]

32. Why? Las Vegas is in NEVADA and this is in TEXAS....

I don't get it...

[Dollface]

13. ... and a Happy Halloween to Fox News

[Helen Borg]

14. Run, run! Worse than ISIS.

[obxhead]

45. I don't think we need to run,

But this IS far worse than Isis.

[Helen Borg]

46. Sounds like scary season to me...

[rocktivity]

18. A hospital in Dallas had been testing a person based on their travel history

and symptoms...Another patient was being evaluated at a National Institutes of Health facility. It’s not clear if either patient is the one referred to in the CDC’s initial report.

The key here is if whether either of these patients HAVE a travel history, that is, if they "imported" the ebola from abroad. If it was "born" in the USA, that's a whole new ballgame. However, two other patients have already been successfully treated in the U.S.


rocktivity

[defacto7]

22. I understand Nigeria has their Ebola epidemic contained.

If Nigeria can do it, we can do it. Problem is, I'm not sure I believe Nigeria has actually done it.

[onecent]

34. There are 173. something MILLION people in nigeria...and you actually

believe that the epidemic is contained.???? 173 MILLION!!!!!!????????????????????????

I have a bridge to sell you all that believe that.
Ebola is a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE DISEASE....you bleed FROM EVERY ORIFICE IN YOUR ENTIRE
BODY...
people better wake up in America and realize this is growing right before our eyes..and we
have NO POWER TO STOP IT....and you better believe our fucking government is NOT GOING TO HELP.

ANOTHER 45 days and people won't even be going out to the grocery, so STOCK UP.
I'm one of them. I will be stocking up THIS WEEK.

This person ended up in Texas....which plane flew him/here here????? AND FROM WHERE........Dear Lord...How many people on that flight have flown to OTHER CITIES IN AMERICA???

The apathy in American just boggles my mind...and I live in the midwest..

[Marrah_G]

40. actually you don't bleed out of every orafice in your body

Please don't freak out. Influenza is far deadlier.

[Chemisse]

47. Actually you do bleed out of the ears, nose, eyes, mouth and rectum.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001339.htm

And influenza is NOT deadlier. Ebola can have up to a 90% death rate.

While I don't think it is time to freak out, I think we should sit up and take notice.

[muriel_volestrangler]

42. Ebola contained in Nigeria, Senegal - US health officials

The Ebola virus may have been contained in Nigeria and Senegal, US health authorities say, after no new cases were reported there for almost a month.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say the outbreak could be declared over in Nigeria next month.
...
In Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, there have been 19 confirmed cases of the virus and eight deaths since the first confirmed case there in July. The last reported case in Nigeria was discovered on 5 September, the CDC said.
...
"Although Nigeria isn't completely out of the woods, their extensive response to a single case of Ebola shows that control is possible with rapid, focused interventions" said CDC Director Tom Frieden in a statement.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29436851

[defacto7]

61. I guess you didn't read my post.

try again.

[theHandpuppet]

35. I don't believe ANY claims by the Nigerian government

Their track record is pathetic.

[calimary]

25. Oh brother...

[JustAnotherGen]

28. This frightens me

[Trillo]

30. This will be a healthcare cash cow. NT

[longship]

43. Do you really believe that?

That the many doctors and other health care workers who have died or put themselves in grave danger in countries whose population distrusts western medicine are doing that for money?

You have a very tall mountain to climb to convince me about that argument.

Ebola outbreaks are quite rare, and the virus is too efficient for its own good. Untreated, over 90% are dead within a week of symptoms showing. Even with treatment, over 50% will die. Plus, it is only transmitted via bodily fluids. It is not airborne and is highly unlikely to ever become so.

If Ebola comes to the USA, it will be swatted like a fly. Why? Because the USA (mostly) trusts western medicine which knows how to treat this disease. Unfortunately there is no cure yet. But the USA has a medical infrastructure to contain any outbreak here, and other than the anti-medicine loonies -- cough! Jenny McCarthy, Oprah, RFK Jr., Dr. Oz, Andrew Wakefield -- has a population that trusts scientific medicine.

[Trillo]

49. In the USA, it doesn't matter if the doctors cure or not, what matters is their bill gets paid.

Your very first paragraph talks about medical personnel treating Ebola in other countries. This story is about this country. Apples and oranges.

[longship]

52. Indeed, apples and oranges.

That's why I am utterly unafraid of Ebola here. And it is also why I am afraid for the people in West Africa who have nearly zero medical infrastructure and copious cultural quackery which together gives rise to Ebola's spread.

Be afraid for those in Africa, but not us.

[McCamy Taylor]

44. No, it will kill off healthcare providers as the people go to clinics for the "flu"

do not tell anyone about their foreign travel or exposure to someone with foreign travel (because they may not know about it) and doctors and nurses begin to die and there is no one left to treat patients.

[Trillo]

50. So your argument is the doctors will die before sending out billing?

Seems ridiculous.

[uppityperson]

84. +1000

[roamer65]

39. Air travel needs to be shut off to the affected areas.

Then each person coming into the US from that area via other nations needs to be dealt with on a case by case basis. Basic quarantine procedures need to be followed.

[Psephos]

48. CDC assured us Ebola wouldn't make it to U.S...

...about 3 weeks ago.

They will say anything, true or false, to keep us "pacified."

Like the rest of the government.

[CoffeeCat]

51. If the CDC gave us those assurances, then they are fools...

No one can give assurances about a catastrophic virus that is out of control and expected to infect 1,000,000+ victims within the next several months.

I believe that it could be more easily contained in the United States, but for anyone to suggest that Ebola won't arrive here--is ridiculous.

I'm surprised that any scientist would make such an absurd claim. I'm not doubting what you said, I'm just shocked that a CDC official would provide such impossible assurances.

[roamer65]

53. With a 21 day incubation period and free air travel...

...no rational scientist would make such a claim. I agree with you.

[Psephos]

78. Read this: "Ebola is not a huge risk in the U.S." - Aug. 1

http://www.georgianewsday.com/news/regional/273494-ebola-is-not-a-huge-risk-in-the-u-s-cdc-head-seeks-to-reassure-a-jittery-public-as-first-health-worker-infected-with-the-horrific-disease-is-set-to-land-on-american-soil-tomorrow.html

[LisaL]

60. Fools or liars.

Cause obviously this guy came here, was not isolated for days.
During this time he was infectious.
I would be shocked if he didn't infect anyone, not the other way around.

[marlakay]

54. Article says person was home 8 days before hospital

And 4 days after symptoms before hospital. How can it not have spread? Every place that person went if they touched shopping carts or sneezed on it, sit down on a park bench, infect people in their home, a taxi, their desk at work, coffee pitcher shared, opening refrig, etc...if you have germs on your hand and hand someone a work folder.....

I don't see how they can easily say no problem it is contained when person walked around for a week with it?

[LisaL]

59. I don't know how they can say it with a straight face either.

Obviously that claim is completely bogus.
Once he started showing symptoms, he was infectious.
But he was not isolated until days later.

[Turborama]

66. Relax. You can't catch Ebola that easily

http://qz.com/273972/stay-calm-and-carry-on-why-its-nearly-impossible-for-ebola-to-spread-in-the-us/

[840high]

79. This person arrived in USA

on the 20th - sought treatment on 26th (according to CDC) - must have come in contact with people and hospital personnel. I agree with you 100%. We are being fed BS.

[defacto7]

62. Just for the record... the disease is not transmittable

until they show symptoms, sneezing, coughing, diarrhea, blood from orifices would be a later stage sign.

The Texas patient has had signs since the 24th according to the CDC which is a correction of the first report. The patient called for help on the 26th and was transported by an ambulence to the hospital. The patient was put in isolation on the 28th. All health workers in the ambulance are also in isolation.

[LisaL]

63. He was showing symptoms for at least four days before being finally isolated.

Hospital didn't even admit him the first time he went there.

[defacto7]

71. We'll just have to wait a couple of weeks

and see if anything, happens.

[LisaL]

73. I think his family members are obviously at high risk.

And most likely others who came in contact with him during the period he was infectious but not isolated.

[LisaL]

87. And looks like he might have infected somebody already.

DALLAS — Due to close contact with a patient diagnosed with the Ebola virus, a second person is under the close monitoring of health officials as a possible second patient, said the director of Dallas County's health department Wednesday morning in an interview with WFAA.

http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/health/2014/10/01/thompson-dallas-county-ebola-patient-cases/16524303/

[valerief]

74. so long as it hasn't mutated

[defacto7]

82. Sorry you brought that up...

It is an unstable virus from what I've read, like the flu. It is mutating all the time and has been mutating recently probably becoming more compatible with humans. It could mutate to be less harmful or it could mutate to become worst. We don't know where it's going because humans are a new host. It's a virus that hopped from animals to humans in the last 50 years or so.

[deutsey]

75. Remain calm...all is well

[DonCoquixote]

77. now watch for the GOP

To take full advantage of this to hate black people, bomb africa, and steal resources. Also, the GOP hates cities, so watch for the first few people to call for quaratining them.

Laugh if you want to, but if the GOP thinks this will help them get power and money, they will start dumping it into Water reservoirs and putting it in school lunches.

[840high]

80. BS

[quadrature]

81. what Airline was this person flying on?

also, what airplane tail number?

[uppityperson]

85. Since he didn't have symptoms and was not contagious at that time, what does it matter?

[quadrature]

86. nobody believes the 'not contagious' fairy tale

I would rather avoid that same airplane

[uppityperson]

89. Do you not believe in an incubation period? Do you believe it strikes instantly, that viruses

do not take time to grow in a body enoughh for the body to expell them, become contagious?

Here is how it works, with exposure to a virus, whether head cold, flu, measles, ebola.
1. Exposure
2. Virus find the spot it likes to grow in the body, depends on temperature, humidity. Starts to multiply.
3. Body develops antibodies and other symptoms to fight it off. Body develops symptoms based on what damage was caused.
Symptoms develop like temperature (most viruss can only love in a narrow temp range, get too hot and they die), sneeze/cough (cold viruses take up residence in respiratory tract), blood clots/tissue dying (ebola), skin rash (measles). You are now contagious and symptomatic.

There are some viruses in which you are contagious, shedding live viruses, before symptoms show. Ebola is not one of those, fortunately.

But it takes a bit of time for the virus to multiply enough for the infected person to become contagious. If you plant a seed, do you harvest the crop immediately? Same thing with viruses.

[LibinMo]

88. More concerning to me:

How many people were exposed at the hospital he first went to and was sent home with antibiotics? How long was he in the waiting room? And how was he transported to the hospital the first time? How many were exposed between the first and second hospital visits?

[amandabeech]

93. Changed planes in Brussels to United.

Brussels to Dulles, the Dulles to Dallas.

[quadrature]

91. United Flts 951 and 822 ... Ebola passenger

Fly the friendly skies of Ebola.

United 951, Brussels to Washington
United 822, Washington to Dallas

...................
this has to be stopped.