This National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) image taken on August 12, 2014 by a digitally-colorized scanning electron micrograph (SEM) depicts a single filamentous Ebola virus particle. Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola HF) is one of numerous Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers. It is a severe, often fatal disease in humans and nonhuman primates. UPI/NIAID |
License Photo
CLEVELAND, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Ebola fears closed Texas and Ohio schools after it was discovered that the latest U.S. patient, Amber Vinson, flew from Cleveland to Dallas the day before treatment.
Vinson was on Frontier Airlines Flight 1143 one day before she reported to the hospital where she worked with symptoms of Ebola. She was immediately isolated for testing and the CDC began going through her contact list to monitor them for symptoms.
Ebola patients are only contagious when they begin to show symptoms, but health officials are still trying to contact everyone on the flight as a precaution.
The precaution extended to the closing of three schools in central Texas, where two students who were on plane attend.
North Belton Middle School, Sparta Elementary and a preschool in the district are scheduled to be cleaned and disinfected along with the buses used for the school, reports KHOU.
Belton Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Susan Kincannon wrote a letter to parents explaining the Thursday closure.
"Late tonight I learned that officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are re-evaluating the health risk to some passengers on Frontier Airlines Flight #1143 from Cleveland to Dallas. At this time, we do not know if this will include either of the two Belton ISD students who traveled on the flight."
The two students in question will be monitored at home for three weeks in order to ensure they are not infected.
In Ohio, two schools were closed after it was discovered they had students and staff on the flight as well.
Solon Middle School and Parkside Elementary were closed in Solon, Ohio, after it was discovered a staff member at the middle school may have flown on the same plane, but not the same flight.
In Shaker Heights, a HathawayBrown School student was asked to stay home after it was discovered Vinson may have visited the child's home.
Ebola can only be passed through the exchange of bodily fluids with an infected and symptomatic person.
U.S. President Barack Obama announced Wednesday the government will be taking a more aggressive stance against Ebola after an emergency Cabinet meeting in response to news of Vinson's case.