CDC director: Second U.S. Ebola case suggests 'breach in protocol'

A Texas health care worker who tested positive for the Ebola virus after treating Thomas Eric Duncan in Dallas suggests the hospital breached protocol, Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on CBS' Face the Nation.

"Clearly there was a breach in protocol," Frieden said in an interview reported by the Dallas Morning News. "We know from many years of experience that it's possible to care for patients with Ebola safely, without risk to health care workers, but we also know that it's hard and that even a single breach can result in contamination."

Frieden speculated that the breach in protocol may have occurred as the health care worker removed his or her contaminated gear. The Ebola virus can only be spread through direct contact with an infected person's bodily fluids.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up