Dr. Craig Spencer tested positive for Ebola in New York City on Thursday. He returned to New York on Oct. 17 after working with Doctors Without Borders in Guinea treating Ebola patients.
Of course, everyone is freaking out, especially because before going to the hospital Spencer spent time at a bowling alley in Brooklyn (now closed) and rode the subway. New York City’s Health Commissioner Mary T. Bassett said Spencer “was transported by a specially trained HAZ TAC unit wearing Personal Protective Equipment.” Instead of going to the emergency room, the man was taken directly to an isolation unit.
But what’s also disturbing is a video posted by The Daily Mail showing police officers outside of Spencer’s apartment throwing away their gloves and masks in a street trash can.
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It’s unlikely that these guys had any direct contact with Spencer’s belongings or the inside of his apartment, but regardless, this doesn’t look good.
Other news:
First confirmed case of Ebola in Mali
– A 2-year-old girl who had recently been in Guinea has contracted the virus.
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Ebola blood-therapy team put together
– An international team of scientists have been organized to determine if blood from an Ebola survivor is an effective treatment.
One million doses of Ebola vaccination to be available by end of 2015
– The World Health Organization has announced that vaccinations will head to West Africa as soon as the end of this year and more will be available throughout next year.
Dr. Karen DeSalvo leaving ONC to help with response to Ebola
– De Salvo is leaving the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to help the Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Matthews Burwell with the department’s response to the Ebola epidemic.
As if just worrying about Ebola wasn’t enough, here’s a clever cartoon from Truthout’s Jen Sorenson.
[Police image from Twitter user Steen Selvejer]