Fear rises after first US Ebola case diagnosed

World Today

Health officials in Dallas are monitoring five schoolchildren who came in contact with a man being treated for Ebola. The man had recently traveled to the United States to visit relatives in Texas. CCTV America’s Daniel Ryntjes reports.

West African Ebola Outbreak

Cases from March, 22 through Sept. 26, 2014. “Total cases” includes Nigeria, Senegal and the U.S., which as of publishing had 20 cases, one case and one case, respectively. Roll or mouse over chart for day-by-day data points.


Data: WHO

The patient was identified by Liberian health officials and the New York Times as Thomas Eric Duncan. Duncan had helped a woman who was seven months pregnant and stricken with Ebola while he was in the Liberian capital Monrovia.

A few days after arriving in Dallas, Duncan began to develop mild symptoms and went to hospital, telling a nurse about his recent travels. However the information wasn’t shared to other medical staff who found he had a mild virus and released him. Authorities believe he may have exposed to up to 18 people before returning to the hospital with severe symptoms.

“We learned that some school-aged children have been identified as having had contact with the patient and are now being monitored at home for any signs of the disease. I know that parents are being extremely concerned about that development but let me assure these children have been identified, and they are being monitored, and the disease cannot be transmitted before having any symptoms.” – Rick Perry Texas Governor

Aid agencies are concerned that the focus is shifting away from the needs of thousands in West Africa. Despite a massive increase in international help, aid agencies said there is a desperate need for more treatment centers and more international medical professionals to provide care and training.