Outcry In America As Nurses Contract Ebola From Victim

Two American nurses that cared for the country’s first ever Ebola patient have been diagnosed with the virus. These nurses work at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas and cared for Thomas Duncan, who was an Ebola patient admitted in the hospital. Mr. Duncan died on 8th October from the fatal virus and has been the first American casualty from Ebola. The infected nurses have been identified as Amber Vinson and Nina Pham. Both of them are currently placed in isolation. After their diagnosis with Ebola, there has been an outcry all over America over the mismanagement of America’s first Ebola case by the Dallas hospital which has led to its spread.

Nurse groups in America have appealed to President Obama to look into the mismanagement of Mr. Duncan's case and ensure that there are uniform health standards in place to tackle Ebola in the country's hospitals. The groups argue that the hospital did not take the proper precautions when treating Mr. Duncan and put the lives of health workers and other patients at risk. Debora Burger, co-president of a national nurse group has alleged that the infected nurses were not given proper training to deal with an Ebola patient and they also lacked proper personal protective gear. The nursing group further alleges that Mr. Duncan was not immediately isolated after his diagnosis and that put the life of other patients around him at risk as well. The immense pressure from the nursing community and the threat of a strike by health workers, has prompted an apology from the management of the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. The hospital management has also accepted that their inadequate guidelines have led to the spread of the deadly disease.

Investigation into Mr. Duncan's case has revealed some shocking mismanagement on the part of the hospital. Mr.Duncan first visited the hospital in late September and complained of symptoms consistent with the virus. The hospital medical team failed to diagnose him with Ebola and sent him back after prescribing antibiotics. This happened despite the fact that Mr. Duncan had informed the doctors that he had recently travelled from Liberia. The country of Liberia and its surrounding region is among the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak in Africa. The infected nurses treated Mr. Duncan when he made his first visit to the hospital and it is being concluded that the transmission of the virus took place during this period. The patient was only diagnosed with the disease once he returned to the hospitals with the same symptoms. The initial misdiagnosis is being blamed for the spread of the virus and a U.S. congressional committee has also called upon the hospital's chief clinical officer to testify on the matter. However the National Nurses' Union alleges that even after the patient was diagnosed with Ebola, proper protective measures were not taken by the hospital. According to the union, the protective gear given to the health workers treating Mr. Duncan exposed their necks and wrists.

President Barack Obama has taken notice of the situation and while talking to the media, tried to assure the American people that the country is not in danger of an outbreak like the one being witnessed in Africa. He further stated that he has directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to send teams to any area in the country where an Ebola case is reported.