CDC’s Frieden: ‘Deeply Concerned’ About Latest Ebola Case, ‘Breach of Protocol’ To Blame

"We are deeply concerned about this new development with a preliminary positive healthcare worker who cared for the index patient in Dallas on multiple occasions after his diagnosis. 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. The fact is that the individual who became ill was, as per protocol, self-monitoring. Immediately when they developed symptoms they isolated themselves, they were promptly isolated at the hospital, so that any further spread from that individual was stopped. And fundamentally at this point, there are four things we are doing. First is to make sure that that individual is cared for safely and effectively. Second, we are identifying that individual’s contacts and our CDC team lead for this investigation on the ground in Dallas interviewed that individual in detail. Third, we now consider all of the healthcare workers who cared for the index patient potentially to have been exposed, and we will be rostering  those individuals and determining which require active follow-up in addition to their self-monitoring. And, fourth, we will conduct a full investigation of what happens before health workers go in, what happens when they are there, and what happens in taking out — taking off their protective equipment because infections only occur when there is a breach in protocol."