...for me and mine, and many millions more New Yorkers, than anyone would have believed just a month ago. A doctor, identified by MSN as Craig Spencer, who did humanitarian work with Doctors Without Borders reportedly is currently undergoing quarantine and Ebola testing at Bellevue Hospital in New York City tonight. (source)
Oh shit, I just got done typing the above paragraph and went back to the article to get more info and the link and there was an important update. It is no longer suspected that he has it, he has tested positive for Ebola and definitely is infected with it. (source 1 and source 2)
Man oh man, that is way too close to home for me. I live within about 20 miles from that hospital. I must say this is an alarming development if for no other reason than NY City is a metropolis of at least 8 million people and if Ebola spreads there it may spread like wildfire. Mind you, such a spread might not only take place in the city but also across the world since NYC is a major national and international travel hub. Of course, NYC's Mayor DeBlasio is assuring folks that:
“Our understanding is that very few people were in direct contact with him,” (source)
The thing is though he reportedly came back to NY from Guinea, one of the hardest hit Ebola stricken nations, on October 14 and his been free to roam about the city or wherever else at will. It has been reported that:
Oh shit, I just got done typing the above paragraph and went back to the article to get more info and the link and there was an important update. It is no longer suspected that he has it, he has tested positive for Ebola and definitely is infected with it. (source 1 and source 2)
Man oh man, that is way too close to home for me. I live within about 20 miles from that hospital. I must say this is an alarming development if for no other reason than NY City is a metropolis of at least 8 million people and if Ebola spreads there it may spread like wildfire. Mind you, such a spread might not only take place in the city but also across the world since NYC is a major national and international travel hub. Of course, NYC's Mayor DeBlasio is assuring folks that:
“Our understanding is that very few people were in direct contact with him,” (source)
The thing is though he reportedly came back to NY from Guinea, one of the hardest hit Ebola stricken nations, on October 14 and his been free to roam about the city or wherever else at will. It has been reported that:
"Even as the authorities worked to confirm that Mr. Spencer was infected with Ebola, it emerged that he traveled from Manhattan to Brooklyn on the subway on Wednesday night, when he went to a bowling alley and then took a taxi home.
"The next morning, he reported having a temperature of 103 degrees, raising questions about his health while he was out in public." (source)
Get that! This guy reportedly was traveling around NY City wherever he wanted to go and only after he had a fever of 103 degrees did he decide to report himself. I have to wonder, and maybe you do to, did his fever suddenly explode out of nowhere from a normal temperature of 98.6 to a high fever 103 OR did it develop, as it seemingly has in others with Ebola, from a lower temp over a day or two before it got that high and thus maybe put many others at risk as it was developing. One also must ask, should he have called himself in to authorities as possibly having Ebola a day or two before he actually did so! I can only hope the fever came on suddenly and that he was not contagious while on the subway or at the bowling alley or in the cab or wherever else he may have been over the last couple of days. (10/24/2014 - Edited To Make A Correction: According to the NY Times, it was incorrectly reported, at first, that Dr. Spencer alerted medical authorities after his fever had reached 103. It is now being reported that he alerted authorities when he had a fever of 100.3 not 103; there supposedly was a transcription error when the original information was given out.) (source)
As far as mayor de Blasio assuring folks that very few had direct contact with him, how about the guy who wore the same pair of rental bowling shoes or who stuck his fingers into the holes on the same bowling ball after Mr. Spencer? How about the people who sat in the same subway seat as him or those who ran their hands down the handrail of the stairway leading to his train. How about anyone who was in the same taxi he took home. It may be all well and good to say it is highly unlikely that they will catch it from him but try selling that to scared New Yorkers, let alone to the families of the over 4,000 poor souls who have succumbed to Ebola during the current outbreak.
One thing in New York's favor - hospitals in NY State claim to have been preparing for cases of Ebola for months now and Bellevue is reported to be one of eight that has been specially set up to handle Ebola cases. It has one of the best trauma units in New York City and hopefully one of the best infectious disease/quarantine units too. Regardless, this is way too close to home not to make me feel concerned for my family's safety at least a little bit.
Right now though, I will admit I am more worried for Dr. Spencer, those he came in contact with, and those who will come in contact with him by way of treating him at Bellevue. Him for obvious reasons, he has it and needs our best wishes, thoughts and prayers. Those treating him as they are much more likely to come down with the disease than anyone else after exposure to him and those with whom he came in contact because there is a chance they could get it.
Let's hope and pray that Dr. Spencer gets well without infecting even one other person.
All the best,
Glenn B
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