Texas Ebola Update
Oct. 18, 2014
Case Count
Texas has had three confirmed cases of Ebola. The first patient died in Dallas Oct. 8. The second patient, a health care worker, was diagnosed Oct. 11. The third patient, a health care worker, was diagnosed Oct. 15.
People Being Monitored (CDC)
DSHS is working closely with the CDC to monitor people who have had contact with the three Ebola patients, Ebola specimens or potentially contaminated surfaces. A total of 145 contacts and possible contacts currently are being monitored for symptoms. A total of 14 people have completed surveillance.?
Direction to Health Care Workers Who Entered Ebola Patient's Room (60 kb pdf)
People who entered the hospital room of Thomas Eric Duncan, the state's first Ebola patient, are being directed not to go to public places, such as grocery stores, or travel by plane, ship or train until 21 days after exposure. The direction comes after a health care worker involved in Duncan's care had been on a flight shortly before diagnosis of the disease.
Direction to Lab Personnel (48 kb pdf)
?A group of hospital lab workers who handled Ebola specimens are being monitored twice day for symptoms and have been instructed not to travel. They did not have direct contact with any of the three patients and are not considered to be significantly at risk.
Direction to Health Care Workers Who Cared for Colleagues with Ebola (50 kb pdf)
A small group of people who took care of the state’s second and third Ebola patients – both health care workers at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital – have been instructed not to travel and are being monitored twice a day for symptoms. They have also been given the option to stay at the hospital on a non-admission status for monitoring.
Direction to Flight Passengers Who Sat Within Three Feet of Health Care Worker (62 kb pdf)
Texas health officials are contacting nearly 200 people in Texas who were passengers on at least one of two Frontier flights between Cleveland and Dallas that carried a health care worker who was diagnosed with Ebola shortly after her travels. All passengers who were on the two flights are being monitored for symptoms twice a day by Texas public health officials. A small group of those passengers were identified as having sat within three feet of the health care worker and are considered to be at a higher risk of exposure. That group has been directed to stay home and not travel by plane, ship, long-distance bus or train.
-30-
(News Media Contact: Carrie Williams, carrie.williams@dshs.state.tx.us, 512-776-7119)