2nd Ebola case in Texas caused by breach in protocol, CDC chief says

Los Angeles Times ^ | 10/12/2014 | KURTIS LEE, MICHAEL A. MEMOLI

[SeekAndFind]

A federal health official said Sunday there was “clearly” a breach in protocol that led to the infection of a Dallas healthcare worker with Ebola in what is thought to be the first U.S. transmission of the deadly virus.

“We’re deeply concerned about this new development,” Dr. Thomas Frieden, head of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

“I think the fact that we don’t know of a breach in protocol is concerning, because clearly there was a breach in protocol. We have the ability to prevent the spread of Ebola by caring safely for patients.”

President Obama was briefed Sunday on the diagnosis by Lisa Monaco, his homeland security and counterterrorism advisor. He later spoke with Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, in which he directed that the CDC’s investigation of the apparent protocol breach move “as expeditiously as possible.”

The White House said Obama also ordered federal health authorities to take further steps to ensure that healthcare facilities nationwide are prepared to follow infection control protocols in the event they should confront a possible Ebola case.

Frieden said the worker had been monitoring herself and was promptly isolated when she developed symptoms.

[miserare]

I expect to see a lot of nurses quit because of the remarks of CDC Chief Idiot Frieden.

[miserare]

I believe the virus has become aerosolized and will spread quickly in this country via HVAC systems, just like Legionnaires Disease.

[Raycpa]

Did she make a YouTube video?

[miserare]

Then make him clean the toilets on all planes landing at Kennedy with travelers from Liberia!

[miserare]

More than 200 of the ebola deaths in Liberia were nurses who died after tending to dying patients.

[Eva]

LOL! There was a breach in protocol that caused the spread of Ebola, but we don’t know what the breach might have been, because we are the government and we have all the answers.

[miserare]

I really worry about the soldiers, because those African villages are rife with prostitution, and sexual inercourse is a primary cause of spreading ebola.

[a fool in paradise]

It was all the fault of a rouge agent in Dallas...

[a fool in paradise]

It was all the fault of a rogue agent in Dallas...

[SteveAustin]

Given this situation today with the nurse, it should make Patient Zero’s relatives feel all the more guilty for suggesting his care wasn’t the very best the US could offer during his last ten days in Dallas.

Real people put themselves on the line to care for Thomas Clarke Duncan, and those real people are now paying the price.

I feel terrible not only for the nurse but any family or friends she was around the past week who now have to quarantine for 21 days.

[GeronL]

or the grassy knoll

[PapaBear3625]

Do you think the nurse deliberately infected herself? Or do you think she became infected by simply being human and making a mistake...?

A procedure which requires the nurse to always be 100% perfect is a bad procedure.

A workable procedure should be multi-layered so that multiple things have to go wrong in order for bad things to happen. Murphy's Law should be taken into account.

[savedbygrace]

I stand by my statement.

[gwjack]

Hi Eva —

I thought I just missed it. Apparently Frieden said there was a breach, but did not tell what it was. Do I have this correct? How can a recurrence be prevented unless it’s disclosed. I did find it interesting that the CDC was not at the news conference this morning. Just like the Obama Administration they are late to the task. Then, it’s always someone else’s’so fault. What a way to run a country.

Gwjack

[Smokin' Joe]

Ping...

A link to this thread has been posted on the Ebola Surveillance Thread

[patriot08]

Me, too. Also sick of so and so ‘OPENS UP’ about...

[JeepRubicon]

This thing is highly contagious and can either go through the flimsy fabric of gown they are wearing, or through masks or both. It is spread by more than direct contact too.

I hear a lot of folks saying things like this but let's stop and think for a moment. So far in Africa with basically no health care things aren't as bad as folks think it's going to get in the US. Let's review some basic facts. The Flu kills 50,000+ each year in the US with 10 million or more getting the flu. This all happens in a few mere months during the winter, that's how quickly the Flu spreads, it's airborne, but lethality is quite low. Now, if Ebola was Airborne then the backward continent Africa would be totally gone, Ebola has been raging for months there, only 4,000+ dead thus far with a lethality rate of 50% they are saying. That means 50% of those exposed survived basically on their own with little or no help and poor immune systems, no vitamins, nothing. To top it off the doctors initially were spreading it to everyone even those not in hospitals for Ebola to give it a big ol' jump start. None of the people on the plane with Duncan thus far have it, none of the people in Duncan's apartment thus far have it, none of the police officers thus far have, even the guys who sprayed his vomit with zero protection thus far don't have it. Now, Duncan was "intubated" and that is probably a very, very big mistake, dialyses too, but being "intubated" will not be done anymore. There is a point now where they know that extreme life saving measures cannot be taken.

[pfflier]

“I think the fact that we don’t know of a breach in protocol is concerning, because clearly there was a breach in protocol.

The science is settled...AGAIN!!

[patriot08]

In hospitals nurses are abused..Doctors are treated like gods

[Toespi]

Ok, two Ebola cases in the US, two screw ups. Not looking good.