Breach in Safety Protocols Led to Health Care Worker’s Infection with Ebola

WASHINGTON – The health care worker who attended the first patient diagnosed with Ebola in the United States has now been confirmed to have contracted the disease, a situation attributed by U.S. health authorities to a breach in safety protocols despite the fact that the woman was wearing protective gear.

The test for Ebola infection performed by the Texas Health Service on the woman came back positive as did a second test carried out by the Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, thus confirming the diagnosis.

“We’re deeply concerned about this new development. I think the fact that we don’t know of a breach in protocol is concerning because clearly there was a breach in protocol,” said Dr. Thomas Frieden, the head of the Centers for Disease Control, in an interview with “Face the Nation” on CBS.

This is the first confirmed case of transmission of the disease within the United States.

Despite the safety protocols that must be followed by those people who come in contact with Ebola victims “even a single breach can result in contamination,” Frieden said, adding that the worker had been in “prolonged contact” with another Ebola patient who later died.

The family of the patient, who is in stable condition, has asked for privacy and, therefore, her identity will not be revealed.

According to CNN, citing an anonymous source close to the case, the worker is a Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital nurse who was assigned to care for Thomas Eric Duncan, the first person diagnosed with Ebola in the United States, who died last Wednesday.

The nurse attended to Duncan during his second visit to the hospital. The victim had been admitted to the hospital on an urgent basis on Sept. 25 with symptoms of Ebola but was sent home after being prescribed antibiotics.

Duncan, originally from Liberia, returned to the medical center in an ambulance on Sept. 28, when he was admitted and diagnosed with Ebola.

Dr. Dan Varga, the chief clinical officer with the Texas Health Resources department, told a press conference on Sunday that during the time the nurse cared for Duncan, she was wearing a protection suit consisting of a gown, gloves and a facemask, all of which are required by the CDC for people who come in contact with Ebola victims.

The worker reported that she had a low fever on Friday night and was isolated immediately thereafter.

All the workers at the Dallas hospital who were involved in Duncan’s care are being monitored to detect “potential cases” of Ebola among them as quickly as possible, Varga said.