The deadly ebola virus could be turning from an isolated incident to something on the verge of an outbreak, as there are now reports that the Centers for Disease Control is investigating a vomiting passenger in a New Jersey airport.
Fox 5 reporter Lisa Evers tweeted on Saturday that a United Airlines flight out of Europe had been halted at the gate in Newark, New Jersey, due to a sick passenger on board. It is unclear as yet whether the passenger has ebola, but Evers reports that the passenger was vomiting and that the flight has been held in quarantine.
#BreakingNews #Ebola United Flt frm Europe on gate hold EWR - passenger vomiting.. not clear yet if it's one of Liberians on board #myfoxny— Lisa Evers (@LisaEvers) October 4, 2014
#Ebola #EWR #United FLT frm Brussels on gate quarantine while CDC officials investigate/assess vomiting passenger #HOT97 #myfoxny— Lisa Evers (@LisaEvers) October 4, 2014
#Ebola Sources at scene tell me #CDC at Term B #EWR checking intl #United passngr vomiting...plane on lockdown at gate...#HOT97 #myfoxny— Lisa Evers (@LisaEvers) October 4, 2014
#EBOLA #EWR Sources at scene tell me #CDC expert in full protective gear boarding United plane Term B to assess sick passenger...#myfoxny— Lisa Evers (@LisaEvers) October 4, 2014
#BreakingNews #Ebola concerns #CDC removes father & daughter frm international #United Flit #EWR now in ambulance to local hospital #myfoxny— Lisa Evers (@LisaEvers) October 4, 2014
#BreakingNews #Ebola concerns #Exclusive pic #United plane locked down by #CDC that had sick passenger #myfoxny pic.twitter.com/MTSGRNvujG— Lisa Evers (@LisaEvers) October 4, 2014
The flight originated in Brussels, and it reportedly had Liberian passengers on board. Liberia is the country of origin for the first patient to land in the United States while carrying ebola. That passenger, who came into contact with numerous other people and could have infected some with the ebola virus, is now being held in quarantine in Dallas.[Update:] An update from KABC holds that the passenger removed from United Airlines flight 998 had flu-like symptoms. According to the new report, sources on the scene say that the passenger was "determined not to be contagious" and other passengers were allowed to leave the plane.
It is unclear whether the sick passenger is still being held in quarantine at the time.
In related news, the Associated Press reported on Saturday that that first U.S. ebola patient – the only such verified patient in the nation – is in critical condition at the Dallas hospital where he is being treated.
The AP was repeating news from Texas Health Resources, which operates Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas where Thomas Eric Duncan is undergoing treatment for ebola. The hospital system gave only a six-word press release, saying "Mr. Duncan is in critical condition."
About 50 people who may have had contact with Duncan are now under observation by health officials, including nine who are believed to be at a higher risk for contracting ebola. So far, none have shown any symptoms.
