Ebola outbreak: Victim who sparked fears of global epidemic was on way home to US

The Telegraph ^ | 29 Jul 2014 | Rosa Prince

[Freeport]

An Ebola victim who was allowed to board an international flight was an American citizen on his way home to the United States, it has emerged.

Patrick Sawyer worked for the Liberian government and was visiting his sister there when he developed symptoms while on a plane to Nigeria. He was quarantined on arrival in Lagos and died on Friday.

His wife, Decontee, 34, who like Mr Sawyer is originally from Liberia, currently at the heart of the terrifying Ebola outbreak, said he had been due to travel on to America where he could have become Patient Zero in a US epidemic.

The 40-year-old father-of-three is believed to have contracted the disease from his sister, whom he was caring for without knowing she had Ebola.

Mr Sawyer took two flights to get to Nigeria from Liberia, where he had attended his sister's funeral. The first took him from Monrovia to Lome in Togo, where he boarded a plane to Lagos. He collapsed at the airport on landing.

The Nigerian authorities have closed the hospital he was treated at, First Consultants Hospital in Obalende, one of the busiest parts of the city with a population of around 21 million.

Manifests of the passengers and crew who travelled on the same flights as Mr Sawyer have yet to be released

His job involved promoting trade in West Africa and he was on his way to a conference in Lagos from where he planned to travel back to the US when he fell ill with vomiting and diarrhea.

[steve86]

What? Am I expected to provide a glib comment on each Ebola thread?

OK, I think you should head over there to Liberia as quickly as possible and straighten them out. While there, you can collect samples of Filoviridae for your personal collection.

[Rusty0604]

Good grief.

[steve86]

I’ve heard reputable doctors with first hand info/familiar with the border situation say that Ebola coming in that way is a real possibility.

It appears that Ebola will get here first on a regular, scheduled commercial airline flight, does it not?

[steve86]

The idea of lice and scabies mites being transported here by vector machines (illegal alien “refugees”) that our betters want to transport here; in conjunction with ebola outbreaks is just about terrifying.

The prospect of lice and scabies infestations is so minimally important when compared with Ebola it wouldn't even show up on a scanning electron microscope.

[Qiviut]

It appears that Ebola will get here first on a regular, scheduled commercial airline flight, does it not?

********************

Like the ones Obama wants to send to pick up the ‘amnesty’ kids in lieu of riding the death trains through Mexico? [/s]

Seriously, I think the probability of what you are saying is getting higher by the day - close call with Mr. Sawyer.

[Black Agnes]

They could conceivably spread the disease.

[steve86]

I guess they conceivably could but how do they contract it in the first place? Are there a large number of Liberia or Sierra Leone to Central America travelers?

[I want the USA back]

I’m sure that the 0bama administration will let thousands of them in to the USA, to be given free healthcare, compliments of you and me.

[Black Agnes]

If they want to get in the US w/o having to get visas, sure.

They’ve found all manner of OTM papers/documents/stuff on the border.

[forgotten man]

I hope that there are no flights from Liberia to Mexico City.

[heylady]

“I read on some thread yesterday that the family of the US doctor who died had visited him before he took ill, they have since returned to the US.”

They reported that yesterday morning on my local station, DFW Fox 4. This morning they said that the family is being monitored for any signs of the disease. I reckon some people called the station with the same concerns you had hence the reason for a follow up story.

[Kartographer]

Well how about Boko Haram militants getting a couple dozen volunteers to be bio ‘bombs’ exposed placed on a plane to Mexico and then cross over? Pretty simple and cheap intercontinental weapon delivery systems wouldn’t you say?

[Gritty]

I hope that there are no flights from Liberia to Mexico City.

On this Friday there are four of them. Which one would you like to book, sir?

[forgotten man]

God help us. If and when Ebola gets into Mexico it will surely get here.

[CodeJockey]

An Ebola victim who was allowed to board an international flight was an American citizen on his way home to the United States, it has emerged.

Patrick Sawyer worked for the Liberian government and was visiting his sister there when he developed symptoms while on a plane to Nigeria. He was quarantined on arrival in Lagos and died on Friday.

His wife, Decontee, 34, who like Mr Sawyer is originally from Liberia, currently at the heart of the terrifying Ebola outbreak, said he had been due to travel on to America where he could have become Patient Zero in a US epidemic.

Frightening

[bgill]

Not the same plane but the other American doctor (of Ft. Worth, TX) who has come down with it was supposed to fly back to the US however his wife and kids did fly back like Friday. They were to attend a wedding in Indiana and meet a newborn nephew. The wife is a nurse and delivered meals to hospital patients. I guess we’ll know in 21 days if she and the kids are patients zero, one and two. Hopefully, they have sense enough not to fly around the US but if they’re libs, then we’re all doomed.

[Pollster1]

Fellow passengers on his plane were given warnings about the disease’s symptoms, which can include bleeding from the nose and mouth, but were allowed to continue on their journeys. As Ebola has an incubation period of up to 21 days, there are fears that some may even now be spreading the disease still further. ****************************** What?????

Given the cost to Nigeria of treating multiple potential Ebola patients, and the option of those potential patients becoming another country's problem, I understand Nigeria's decision. I don't approve, but I'm convinced that I know why they did it.

[bgill]

Are there a large number of Liberia or Sierra Leone to Central America travelers?

It only takes one. Face it, no one knows who or what is coming across. It only takes one coming across the border, or on a plane or a ship.

[Eagles6]

Very possible.

[metmom]

It’s only a matter of time.........