Second U.S. healthcare worker tests positive for Ebola

(Updated)

Health officials are now trying to contact more than one hundred and 30 passengers who were on the same flight as a U.S. nurse now diagnosed with Ebola. This health-care worker flew on a Frontier Airlines flight from Cleveland to Dallas-Fort Worth — just one day before she tested positive. Amber Vinson is the second member of the medical team that treated Thomas Eric Duncan — who died last week.

Vinson is in isolation and has been transferred to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta for treatment. The Centers for Disease Control is actively searching for anyone who had contact with her — a list that’s growing. The head of the CDC says Vinson shouldn’t have been on the flight.

Dr. Tom Frieden, CDC Director: “Although she did not report any symptoms and she did not meet the fever threshold of 100.4, she did report at that time that she took her temp and found it to be 99.5. So by both of those criteria, she should not have been on that plane.”

Josh Earnest, White House Press Secretary: “People should continue to be confident in the responses organized by the government in reaction to this specific situation. The reason for that is simply that we have a modern medical infrastructure in place — that, again, has not been flawless; we pointed out why that was the case, that even one transmission to a healthcare worker is unacceptable.”

So should we be taking more steps to help keep the spread of the Ebola virus under control? Especially now that we know someone boarded a plane when the CDC says they shouldn’t have.

This is a live shot of Pearson International in Toronto. Today, there were several flights to and from Dallas and Cleveland. We asked passengers if this latest case is making them more aware of the crisis, and whether or not more screening measures are needed to keep people safe on planes.

Ontario’s Health Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins says the province is prepared and ready to treat any suspected cases of Ebola. But adds the risk of contracting the virus here remains very low. And he says the province has learned a lot from the past.

Hoskins says he’s speaking to Rona Ambrose and other health ministers across Canada to make sure everyone is prepared — and following best practices.

Meanwhile, the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario says right now there’s no sign of a provincial strategy for coping with Ebola. The association says it’s concerned about frontline workers. Two Canadians were recently tested for Ebola, but tests were negative. The association is calling on the province to provide a provincial wide strategy.

Doris Grinspun, CEO, Registered Nurses Association of Ontario: “I want them to put out a protocol this week and the protocol will have all the protective measures, gear that a health care working will be provided to deal with a patient showing Ebola symptoms. I also want to make sure that chief nurse executives. And long term side that they are fully involved.”

There have been a total of eight suspected cases of Ebola in Ontario, but every one of them has turned out to be negative for the deadly virus.