Dallas County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Monnig was hospitalized after showing possible Ebola symptoms, Dallas-area media reported Wednesday.
“The deputy expressed concern and we directed that deputy to the Dallas County Health & Human Services for care,” the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement. “We now wait for further information as medical staff attends to the deputy.”
The patient — who was transported from Frisco, Texas — had reported being in the Dallas apartment where Thomas Eric Duncan had been staying and having “some contact” with Duncan’s family members, Frisco Fire Chief Mark Piland told reporters.
There is “no indication” that he had “any direct contact” with Duncan, said Christine Mann of the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The patient exhibited several possible symptoms of Ebola, Piland said.
“He had several, but not all five or six. He exhibited enough to trigger the preliminary screening,” Piland said. Health officials, he said, are “treating this as a low-risk event.”
The patient was admitted to the emergency room “after reporting possible exposure to the Ebola virus,” Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas said in a statement.
“Right now, there are more questions than answers about this case,” the hospital said. “Our professional staff of nurses and doctors is prepared to examine the patient, discuss any findings with appropriate agencies and officials.”
Asked about the case by reporters, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Tom Frieden said the patient “does not have either definite contact with Ebola or definite symptoms of Ebola.”
A spokeswoman for CareNow, which made the call to emergency dispatchers, said the medical center “was being very cautious” after the patient checked yes in response to a screening question regarding travel to West Africa.
“We’ve had a patient that checked yes to one of the screening questions regarding travel to West Africa,” CareNow spokeswoman Vickie Johnson told CNN. “We are being very cautious and are in contact with the health department to ensure we follow proper protocol. Our concern is for the safety and well-being of everyone in our clinic.”
The new patient’s case was the latest development as fears and concerns over Ebola spread worldwide. With multiple developments on numerous fronts, here’s what you need to know to quickly get caught up on the latest:
