One of the real problems with Ebola and U.S. hospitals is

[MineralMan]

28. We used to have a much more robust public health system.

No longer, however. Still, the likelihood is incredibly small that thousands of Ebola cases would suddenly appear in the United States. As we're seeing, a few isolated cases are the extent of it. The first case that appeared with a patient presenting himself with symptoms in an Emergency Room was not handled ideally. That's really not surprising. The other cases in the United states, other than the two Texas healthcare workers, were known before they arrived at hospitals that were prepared and equipped for them.

While an outbreak with multiple patients is possible in Texas, the response to that will be very different from the response to the man who came to the ER at that hospital. I expect the cases to be well-contained and the number of them to be very limited.

Still, other isolated cases will probably appear, as travelers from the affected country arrive and develop symptoms after they get here. We have experience of one such case now, and more information. Preparations will be better for future cases that show up in ERs, in most cases. It takes time to ramp up an appropriate response, since such preparations rarely happen until an actual, proven need is recognized. The Texas case brings that home. Major cities will make preparations. Smaller communities which are at very low risk probably will not do so well with that, unless the situation grows more active.