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BREAKING: Nurse With Ebola Was On Cleveland Flight To Dallas

Ebola ward photo by CDC Global.
Ebola ward photo by CDC Global.

Update 11:39 p.m.: This page is no longer being updated. See our coverage here, here and here.

Update 5:32 p.m.: In a news conference this afternoon, a Summit County health official said the worker visited family in Tallmadge, and that a family member has quarantined himself since Tuesday. The official said the family member did not show signs of Ebola.

Update 1:58 p.m.: Kent State University says the healthcare worker did not visit the university campus before flying back to Dallas. But the worker is related to three employees at Kent State, the university said in a press release.

Update 12:45 p.m.: Dr. Mary DiOrio, an epidemiologist with the Ohio Department of Health, told media in a conference call that the worker visited with family in Akron before returning to Dallas on Monday night. DiOrio said local, state and federal health officials were working to get in touch with people who had close contact with the worker, and to quarantine them if necessary.

Original story

There were 132 passengers. The crew say the nurse demonstrated no apparent symptoms of Ebola during the flight. But she later developed a fever and was diagnosed with the disease.

The hospital worker was involved in the care of a Liberian man who died of Ebola last week at a Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.

While infected Ebola patients are not considered contagious until they have symptoms, the CDC is asking the passengers to contact them immediately so they can be monitored.

From a statement released by Frontier Airlines:

“At approximately 1:00 a.m. MT on October 15, Frontier was notified by the CDC that a customer traveling on Frontier Airlines flight 1143 Cleveland to Dallas/Fort Worth on Oct. 13 has since tested positive for the Ebola virus. The flight landed in Dallas/Fort Worth at 8:16 p.m. local and remained overnight at the airport having completed its flying for the day at which point the aircraft received a thorough cleaning per our normal procedures which is consistent with CDC guidelines prior to returning to service the next day.

“It was also cleaned again in Cleveland last night. Previously the customer had traveled from Dallas Fort Worth to Cleveland on Frontier flight 1142 on October 10.

“Customer exhibited no symptoms or sign of illness while on flight 1143, according to the crew. Frontier responded immediately upon notification from the CDC by removing the aircraft from service and is working closely with CDC to identify and contact customers who may traveled on flight 1143.

“Customers who may have traveled on either flight should contact CDC at 1 800 CDC-INFO.”

More on 90.3 as developments occur.