Another US Health Worker Tests Positive For Ebola

The US has recorded its third case of Ebola as another health worker has tested positive for the disease.

The unidentified medical personnel was a member of the team who cared for the first patient, Liberian Thomas Duncan who died of the disease at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas after arriving in the US on September 20.

The newly diagnosed health worker is said to have complained of a fever yesterday, October 14 and was immediately isolated at the hospital.

The Texas Department of State Health Services said in a statement:

“A second health care worker at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital who provided care for the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States has tested positive for the disease.”

“The health care worker reported a fever Tuesday and was immediately isolated at the hospital.”

“Health officials have interviewed the latest patient to quickly identify any contacts or potential exposures, and those people will be monitored. The type of monitoring depends on the nature of their interactions and the potential they were exposed to the virus.”

“The worker was among those who took care of Thomas Eric Duncan after he was diagnosed with Ebola.”

“The preliminary Ebola test was run late Tuesday at the state public health laboratory in Austin, and results were received at about midnight.”

 A second test to confirm the diagnosis will be carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

The new patient is the third case of Ebola in the US and the second in a health worker after Nurse, Nina Pham also contracted the disease from Duncan.