Let’s All Start Wildly Panicking: Texas Health Care Worker Tests Positive for EBOLA
Grab your bug-out bags, it’s time to panic: a health care worker who treated the “patient zero” that died in Dallas from Ebola has tested positive in a preliminary test after showing some of the symptoms of the virus.
Watch below:
A health care worker at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital who provided care for the Ebola patient who was hospitalized and later died there has tested positive for the disease in a preliminary test at the state public health laboratory in Austin. Confirmatory testing will be conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, according to state officials.
The health care worker reported a low grade fever Friday night and was isolated and referred for testing. The preliminary test result was received late Saturday.
Hospital and state health officials did not identify the health care worker or provide their job description.
“We knew a second case could be a reality, and we’ve been preparing for this possibility,” said Dr. David Lakey, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services. “We are broadening our team in Dallas and working with extreme diligence to prevent further spread.”
In a press conference this morning, officials said the worker’s identity will not be released, but they were in protective gear when he came into contact with Duncan, the Ebola victim.
Dallas mayor says a team will go in and decontaminate patient’s apartment later today. #EbolaDallas
— T.J. Holmes (@tjholmes) October 12, 2014
Mayor says there “may be a pet inside the apartment (of new patient) and we have a plan in place to take care of the pet.” #EbolaDallas — T.J. Holmes (@tjholmes) October 12, 2014
“We will be evacuating our remaining team to lower Earth orbit and nuke Dallas from there. It’s the only way to be sure.” – CDC Director
— el Sooper ن (@SooperMexican) October 12, 2014
I’m not too sure about that last tweet – that blogger might be embellishing a little. Anyway, let’s go run around in panicked circles.