Texas Health authorities have issued a travel ban on Dallas health workers who entered the room of the late Eric Duncan at the Dallas Presbyterian Hospital.
The directive instructs the health workers to desist from using all forms of public transport and keep away from public gatherings for 21 days to prevent the virus from spreading is perchance they have been infected.
Texas State Department of Health Services has revealed that the health workers "are being asked to sign a written acknowledgement to these directions when they appear for monitoring."
There have been 2 confirmed cases of the Ebola virus in the state since last week. Both health workers were part of the team that treated the late Ebola patient Eric Duncan when he was admitted in the Dallas hospital.
Amber Vinson, one of these health workers, flew between Cleveland and Texas while reportedly feeling ill. She was later confirmed to have the Ebola virus. Reports indicate that she called the CDC to seek permission before embarking on the trip to visit her relatives. She has been transferred from the Dallas Hospital to an isolation unit in Emory University.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Dallas Presbyterian Hospital released a footage of Nina Pham as she was about to be transferred to Maryland's NIH Hospital. Dallas Presbyterian has released a statement on behalf of Ms. Pham saying "I'm doing very well thanks to this team which is the best in the world. I believe in my talented coworkers. I am #presbyproud!"
Texas authorities have revealed that up to 135 people had contact with Duncan and they are all being monitored. The travel ban on the Dallas health workers reportedly affects all these people.
Commentators have justified the travel ban on the Dallas health workers as a way of protecting the public. Although medical experts have held that Ebola victims cannot transmit the disease before its symptoms become apparent, some researchers are arguing otherwise.
The travel ban on Dallas these Dallas health workers is however consistent with the recommendations of health experts across the world.
