N.Y. doctor positive for Ebola had no symptoms until Thursday, officials say By Ray Sanchez and Shimon Prokupecz, CNN updated 11:58 PM EDT, Thu October 23, 2014 Source: CNN
New York (CNN) -- A Doctors Without Borders physician who recently returned to New York from West Africa has tested positive for the Ebola virus, becoming the first diagnosed case in the city, authorities said late Thursday.
The doctor, identified as Craig Spencer, 33, came back from treating Ebola patients in Guinea October 17 and developed a fever, nausea, pain and fatigue Thursday. He is in isolation and being treated at New York's Bellevue Hospital, one of the eight hospitals statewide that Gov. Andrew Cuomo designated earlier this month as part of an Ebola preparedness plan.
Spencer, who is hospitalized in intensive care, went for a jog, may have gone to a restaurant, traveled the city's vast subway system and went bowling before feeling ill, but authorities stressed that the likelihood of him spreading the virus was low.
"We want to state at the outset there is no reason for New Yorkers to be alarmed," Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters late Thursday. Mayor: Working to protect all New Yorkers Gov. Cuomo: We're as ready as one can be
Please support organizations that are sending support or personnel to West Africa, and help combat one of the worst public health and humanitarian disasters in recent history."
Health officials said three people who had been in contact with Spencer -- his fiancée and two friends -- were healthy and would be quarantined and monitored. A fourth, a car service driver, had no physical contact with the patient and was not considered at risk.
Dr. Mary Travis Bassett, New York City's health commissioner, said Spencer completed his work in Guinea on October 12 and left Africa two days later via Europe. He arrived at John F. Kennedy Airport on October 17. She said he exhibited no symptoms during his journey or any time afterward until Thursday morning. He had been checking his temperature twice a day.
Spencer went for a three-mile jog and visited a bowling alley in Brooklyn named The Gutter prior to feeling symptomatic Thursday morning, Bassett said. The bowling alley has been closed. He also traveled on three subway lines. Authorities are checking his MetroCard to determine where else he went.
"At the time that the doctor was on the subway he did not have fever ... he was not symptomatic," according to Bassett, who said the chances of anyone contracting the virus from contact with Spencer were "close to nil."
De Blasio and Bassett were joined by Gov. Cuomo at a news conference to allay concerns about the spread of the virus, especially via public transportation.
"We are as ready as one could be for this circumstance," Cuomo said, adding that the situation in his state is different than what happened in Texas, where a man from Liberia was diagnosed with Ebola and two health care workers who treated him later contracted the virus.
"We had the advantage of learning from the Dallas experience," Cuomo said.
De Blasio added, "Ebola is very difficult to contract. Being on the same subway car or living near someone with Ebola does not put anyone at risk."
The physician, employed at New York's Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, has been in isolation at Bellevue since he was taken there by emergency personnel Thursday morning.
His Manhattan apartment has been isolated.
Earlier Thursday, de Blasio -- without naming the doctor being treated -- said that "careful protocols were followed every step of the way" in the city's handling of the case. The hospitalized doctor has "worked closely" with health officials, the mayor said. Photos: The Ebola epidemic Photos: The Ebola epidemic NYC doctor being tested for Ebola Family: Infected nurse is Ebola-free An image of Craig Spencer taken from his LinkedIn profile. \n An image of Craig Spencer taken from his LinkedIn profile.
The doctor exhibited symptoms of the Ebola virus for "a very brief period of time" and had direct contact with "very few people" in New York, de Blasio told reporters.
On his Facebook page, Spencer posted a photo of himself in protective gear. The page indicates he went to Guinea around September 18 and later to Brussels in mid October.
"Off to Guinea with Doctors Without Borders (MSF)" he wrote. "Please support organizations that are sending support or personnel to West Africa, and help combat one of the worst public health and humanitarian disasters in recent history."
In a statement, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital said the doctor was "a dedicated humanitarian" who went to "an area of medical crisis to help a desperately underserved population."
"He is a committed and responsible physician who always puts his patients first," the hospital statement said. "He has not been to work at our hospital and has not seen any patients at our hospital since his return from overseas."
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had people packing up to go to New York on Thursday, and a specimen from the physician was to be sent to CDC headquarters in Atlanta for testing, an official familiar with the situation told CNN's Elizabeth Cohen.
In a statement Thursday, Doctors Without Borders confirmed that the physician recently returned from West Africa and was "engaged in regular health monitoring." The doctor contacted Doctors Without Borders Thursday to report a fever, the statement said.
The doctor began feeling sluggish a couple of days ago, but it wasn't until Thursday, when he developed 100.3-degree fever, that he contacted Doctors Without Borders, authorities said.
The case came to light after the New York Fire Department received a call shortly before noon Thursday about a sick person in Manhattan. The patient was taken to Bellevue.
Mark Levine, a city councilman who represents the doctor's Manhattan neighborhood, said earlier Thursday, before news broke of the doctor's positive test, that city health department workers were canvassing the area, distributing information on the disease door-to-door, according to CNN affiliate WABC.
"The goal right now is to make sure people don't panic," he said.
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The health department said a special ambulance unit transported a patient suffering from a fever and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Bellevue Hospital is designated for the "isolation, identification and treatment of potential Ebola patients" in the city, the statement said.
"As a further precaution, beginning today (Thursday), the Health Department's team of disease detectives immediately began to actively trace all of the patient's contacts to identify anyone who may be at potential risk," the health department statement said.
"The chances of the average New Yorker contracting Ebola are extremely slim," the statement said, adding that the disease is spread by direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.
Ebola has killed nearly 5,000 people, mostly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. But fears about its spread has mounted since the first person diagnosed with the disease in the United States was hospitalized in Texas last month.
Thomas Eric Duncan, who had flown from Liberia to Dallas, died on October 8. Two nurses who treated him became infected with the virus and are undergoing treatment, with the cases raising questions about the ability of local and federal officials to deal with an outbreak in the United States.
Starting Monday, all travelers coming to the United States from Ebola-affected areas will be actively monitored for 21 days.
In addition, all U.S.-bound passengers from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea must land in one of the five U.S. airports with enhanced screening for Ebola: New York's John F. Kennedy International, Washington Dulles, New Jersey's Newark Liberty International, Chicago's O'Hare International and Hartsfield-Jackson International in Atlanta.
You all remember the stigma that HIV ,had in the 80,s well get ready for the most extreme,making HIV look like a walk in the park.This Ebola pandemic will change the way we socialise with each other.We have already been conditioned thru,smartphones,apps and most of all Facebook,we know longer need to meet face to face.I expect people to change,their habits,no dining out,no using public rest rooms,no human contact.Its feels like a horror movie.Good luck to all.
"Approval ratings go up and down for various reasons... An example is the high post 911 support for GWB even though he could be said to be responsible for the event." --- Box A Rox '9/11 Truther'
Melania is a bimbo... she is there to look at, not to listen to. --- Box A Rox and his 'War on Women'
Thus far, the Ebola virus has infected three people in the United States that we know of; however, Ebola hysteria seems to have infected somewhere close to 300 million. There are reports of kids being pulled out of schools and even some school closings. People in many areas are not going to work and others are driving cars rather than taking mass transit because they fear catching Ebola from fellow passengers. There are also reports of people staying away from stores, restaurants, and other public places in order to avoid the deadly plague.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
You all remember the stigma that HIV ,had in the 80,s well get ready for the most extreme,making HIV look like a walk in the park.This Ebola pandemic will change the way we socialise with each other.We have already been conditioned thru,smartphones,apps and most of all Facebook,we know longer need to meet face to face.I expect people to change,their habits,no dining out,no using public rest rooms,no human contact.Its feels like a horror movie.Good luck to all.
I disagree. GOV ALMIGHTY is throwing every 'boogieman' available out at the American people! If it was such a 'scare'.....GOV ALMIGHTY would have stopped "Ebola folks' from entering the states! Most folks aren't falling for the 'boogieman scare' anymore!!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
The odds of contracting Ebola outside of a hospital setting in the USA is 0 in 318,000,000. "Nearly one in four Americans are projected to die from cancer. The odds of dying in a car wreck is 1 in 108 The odds of dying from Choking from inhalation and ingestion of food 1 in 3,842 The odds of dying from Contact with hornets, wasps, and bees 1 in 71,107
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
The only problem is that everyone is going around stating things like "you can't transmit the disease until you show symptoms" (which I'm curious as to how this intelligent virus knows to avoid your salivary ducts until say you have a fever...)
And that it is not airborne, when clearly there are documented situations where primates caught the disease even when they were physically separated.
Oh and a 70% mortality rate with as long as 21 days before you experience symptoms - you know when you supposedly really cannot transmit the disease until you get a symptom.
Anyway - if influenza had a 70% mortality rate, a lot more people would get flu shots. Ebola is different. (Although I would agree that influenza does appear to be more transmissable)
That being said, I wonder how many of these US citizens were given experimental drugs and/or blood from the recovered physician... Versus how many would have recovered just with standard US care. (E.g, is the majority of the death rate in these 3rd world countries due to just lack of IV fluids and other aspects of care)
Currently an outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) is ongoing in several African countries. Ebola virus disease is a severe illness.
The infection is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, body fluids and tissues of infected animals or people.
During an outbreak, those at higher risk of infection are health workers, family members and others in close contact with sick people and deceased patients.
Appropriate infection and prevention control measures can be implemented to stop transmission and supportive care to patients help to considerably reduce the mortality. Spread of the infection can be controlled through the use of recommended protective measures in clinics and hospitals, at community gatherings, during burial ceremonies or at home.
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
The only problem is that everyone is going around stating things like "you can't transmit the disease until you show symptoms" (which I'm curious as to how this intelligent virus knows to avoid your salivary ducts until say you have a fever...)
I DONT THINK YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW THIS. IF YOU DID YOU WOULD LISTEN TO THE EPIDEMIOLOGIST WHO HAVE EXPLAINED THIS OVER AN OVER AGAIN.
And that it is not airborne, when clearly there are documented situations where primates caught the disease even when they were physically separated.
NO, THAT CASES SHOWED THAT IT CAN BE TRANSMITTED VIA SPECIES. IT DID NOT SHOW IT WAS AIRBORNE. THE SCENERIO WAS NOT SET UP TO AVOID CROSS CONTAMINATION WHEN CLEANING THE CAGES. IT WAS ALSO NOT SET UP TO AVOID DROPLET CONTAMINATION. IT DOES NOTHING TO PROVE (OR DISPROVE) AIRBORNE TRANSMISSION.
Oh and a 70% mortality rate with as long as 21 days before you experience symptoms - you know when you supposedly really cannot transmit the disease until you get a symptom.
Anyway - if influenza had a 70% mortality rate, a lot more people would get flu shots. Ebola is different. (Although I would agree that influenza does appear to be more transmissable)
That being said, I wonder how many of these US citizens were given experimental drugs and/or blood from the recovered physician... Versus how many would have recovered just with standard US care. (E.g, is the majority of the death rate in these 3rd world countries due to just lack of IV fluids and other aspects of care)
THE FIRST TWO GOT THE EXPERIMENTAL DRUG. MR DUNCAN GOT JUST STANDARD CARE. HIS BLOOD TYPE DISNT MATCH ANY SURVIVORS AND THERE WASNT ANY MORE OFF THE DEUG LEFT. THE REST OTHERS HAVE BEEN STANDARD CARR AND/OR TRANSFUSIONS DEPENDING ON BLOOD TYPE. THE STANDARD CARE IA FLUID REPLACEMENT AND ELECTRYLITE MONITORING UNTIL THE CIRUS RUNS ITS COURSE. UNFORTUNATELY, TECXAS REALLY LOWERED MR DYNCANS CHANCE IF SURVIVAL BY SENSING HIM HOME THE FIRST TIME. IF CARE ATARTED THOSE COUPLE DAYS EARLIER HIS CHANCES WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH HIGHER.
NOT AURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THIS NEW DOC. IT SOUNDS AS IF HE FOT REALLY SICK PRETTY FAST. ITS HARDER TO TREAT AND SURVIVE ONCE THE MORE SEVERE SYMPTOMS HAVE BEGUN. I HAVENT READ ANY UPDATES YET THOUGH SO HIS CONDITION COMING IN MAY NOT BE WHAT IM IMAGINING B
it will be an epidemic if victims don't have the same treatment as the "first res ponders"
why do you think so many people have died in the originating countries....it's just the beginning and really no one knows who will be treated with the
best of drugs....simple solution......stop incoming from the affected countries........if this was so prominent in these countries (Africa) then why wasn't
this taken care of sooner......we citizens know very little ...all US does is hand out money and ask for volunteers....
simple solution......stop incoming from the affected countries........if this was so prominent in these countries (Africa) then why wasn't this taken care of sooner......we citizens know very little ...all US does is hand out money and ask for volunteers....
I agree! Americans should be prevented from traveling outside the country too.
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