Friday, October 24, 2014

Newest #Ebola Case Appears in the #BigApple

by Kim D.

 News broke last night that a doctor who had returned to New York from an Ebola-infected country tested positive for the deadly disease. According to those testifying today to the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee, people leaving infected areas should self monitor for a minimum of 21 days to be certain that they are not exhibiting symptoms of Ebola. But, is self-monitoring enough?

 According to CNN's timeline of Dr. Craig Spencer's movement since he completed his work in Guinea, we know he left the infected area on October 12th and arrived in New York City on October 17th. If we are to believe what is being reported, Dr. Spencer didn't experience any sickness until yesterday morning, October 23rd, at which time he went to the hospital, 11 days after leaving Guinea.
Criticism of the doctor and his movement around the city began instantly with reports he had been jogging, riding the subway, and bowling with friends. But those testifying this morning are adamant that you cannot contract Ebola unless you come into contact with bodily fluids of a patient exhibiting full-blown symptoms of the infectious disease. If this is true, why is tracing his steps throughout the Big Apple necessary? If he wasn't symptomatic while jogging, riding the subway, or bowling, then absolutely no one in NYC is in danger of contracting Ebola from Dr. Spencer.

 Other than considerations of mandatory quarantine of anyone entering the US having left an Ebola-infected country, what is being done to train first responders on how to properly deal with an infected patient? According to Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York City is prepared and first responders and hospitals have been trained.

 Really? According to the Daily Mail, this claim might not be 100% true:
With the news that the first confirmed case of Ebola has hit New York City, all attention now turns to how equipped the densely populated metropolis is to deal with the deadly virus - and if the city really is as prepared as they claimed to be in a press conference Thursday evening.
Perhaps throwing things into doubt are photos taken outside the Harlem apartment of Dr. Craig Spencer, who was admitted to the hospital with a 103 degree fever earlier today. They show police officers tossing their gloves, masks and the caution tape used to block off access to his apartment in a public trash can.
Is that really the best place to be putting all of that?


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