Nina Pham is the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital critical care nurse that insisted on doing her job, which recently included providing care for Thomas Eric Duncan, who later died from the Ebola Virus. She herself tested positive for Ebola last Sunday after self-monitoring herself for days. The 26-year old has reportedly received a plasma transfusion from Dr. Kent Brantly who himself beat the disease several weeks ago. While receiving his antibodies may save Pham, the CDC is now admitting that they have no idea how she caught the virus, meaning there could be as many as 70 other hospital employees that are also at risk.
Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC has said, "If this one individual was infected - and we don't know how - within the isolation unit, then it is possible that other individuals could have been infected as well. We do not today have a number of such exposed people or potentially exposed health care workers. It's a relatively large number, we think in the end."
Admittedly that number could rise but at least 70 hospital workers were in contact with Duncan from the day that he was admitted until the time of his death. There is further concern because none of the hospital staffers were included in the original quarantine, so they have inevitably been in contact with many other people in their day to day lives.
Pham's friend is currently in isolation waiting to see if he will develop symptoms as well. Another concern has been for Pham's beloved dog, Bently. Dallas officials have said that as of now the family pet will not be put down but is instead quarantined and being treated extremely well because he is a vital part of Pham's life.
Do you think that the CDC can realistically get the Ebola Virus under control or is it simply too difficult to contain, especially when there are inconsistencies about how to protect the general public? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
