Free Republic

Thomas Eric Duncan case raises questions about U.S. preparedness to stem deadly virusThe first case of Ebola diagnosed within the U.S. is prompting calls for heavy travel restrictions between the U.S. and those West African countries hardest hit by the outbreak — and one advocate is even warning against the possibility of “Ebola tourism” by patients seeking better care here. Thomas Eric Duncan, the first diagnosed case, remained in isolation in a Texas hospital Thursday after having traveled from Liberia last month, leaving health officials to try to track down up to 100 persons he may have come in contact...

CDC Spokesman Dave Daigle stated that the US would not be preventing flights from countries with massive outbreaks of the Ebola virus from coming in to the United States, despite seemingly admitting that the case of Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan showed that airport screening cannot catch every case of Ebola on CNN’s “OutFront” on Wednesday. ******* He also stated that he was unaware of a report from The New York Times that Duncan had come into contact with a pregnant woman who later fell ill and died, and also did not know Duncan’s flight history.

The White House said Wednesday it will not impose travel restrictions or introduce new airport screenings to prevent additional cases of Ebola from entering the United States. Spokesman Josh Earnest said that current anti-Ebola measures, which include screenings in West African airports and observation of passengers in the United States, will be sufficient to prevent the “wide spread” of the virus. The chances of a U.S. epidemic are “incredibly low,” he said. “The reason for that is that it is not possible to transmit Ebola through the air. … The only way that an individual can contract Ebola is by...