EBOLA BLOG: 5-year-old at Bellevue leaving isolation

Up-to-date information on the Ebola situation in New York and worldwide after an emergency room doctor who, after treating Ebola patients in West Africa, tested positive for the virus. Dr. Craig Spencer is being treated at Bellevue Hospital.

12:32 p.m. - Latest update on Ebola

12:11 p.m. -- 5-year-old at Bellevue leaving isolation

The 5-year-old patient who is receiving care at HHC Bellevue Hospital Center has been fully cleared after a negative Ebola test. His fever was caused by a respiratory infection that was confirmed by a lab test. He will be removed from isolation and will remain hospitalized at Bellevue.

11:38 a.m. -- Top UN Ebola official: new cases poorly tracked

Authorities are having trouble figuring out how many more people are getting Ebola in Liberia and Sierra Leone and where the hot spots are in those countries, harming efforts to get control of the raging, deadly outbreak, the U.N.'s top Ebola official in West Africa said Tuesday.

"The challenge is good information, because information helps tell us where the disease is, how it's spreading and where we need to target our resources," Anthony Banbury told The Associated Press by phone from the Ghanaian capital of Accra, where the U.N. Mission for Ebola Emergency Response, or UNMEER, is based.

Health experts say the key to stopping Ebola is breaking the chain of transmission by tracing and isolating those who have had contact with Ebola patients or victims. Health care workers can't do that if they don't know where new cases are emerging.


10:59 a.m. -- FIFA monitoring Ebola, Club World Cup goes ahead

Preparations for the Club World Cup in Morocco in December are continuing and there is currently no Ebola threat to cause it to be canceled or postponed, FIFA said Tuesday.

"Should the situation change we will be in touch with the participating clubs accordingly," FIFA said.

The world soccer body said it is in contact with Moroccan authorities and is "constantly updating its position" with regard to Ebola on the advice of the World Health Organization.

Morocco has no reported cases of the deadly virus that has killed nearly 5,000 people in West Africa, almost all in the three worst-affected countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
-AP

8:46 a.m. -- Nurse back in Maine

A nurse who treated Ebola patients in West Africa agreed to be quarantined in Maine upon her return from a weekend of confinement in New Jersey, but her lawyer disagrees with officials over how long she'll have to stay in seclusion.

Nurse Kaci Hickox left a New Jersey hospital on Monday and headed toward home in northern Maine, where her partner is a nursing student at the University of Maine at Fort Kent.

Her lawyer confirmed Tuesday morning that she'd arrived in Maine, but her location was unknown. Her boyfriend's home in Fort Kent was quiet, with no sign of activity early Tuesday.
-AP

7:21 a.m. -- Second Dallas nurse discharged after Ebola treatment



A second Dallas nurse undergoing treatment for Ebola was discharged from Emory University Hospital and is Ebola-free, officials said today.

In late September, nurse Amber Vinson, 29, had cared for Liberian national Thomas Eric Duncan, who became the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the United States, at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. Duncan died on Oct. 8, and Vinson's colleague, Nina Pham, 26, was diagnosed with Ebola a few days later.

MORE ON THIS STORY

7:18 a.m. -- Swiss agency approves trial for Ebola vaccine

The Swiss agency that regulates new drugs said Tuesday it has approved an application for a clinical trial with an experimental Ebola vaccine at the Lausanne University Hospital.

Swissmedic said the trial will be conducted among 120 volunteer participants with support from the U.N. World Health Organization. The experimental vaccine is to be initially administered on healthy volunteers who will be sent as medical staff to fight the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

OCTOBER 27

6:00 p.m. 5-year-old boy tests negative for Ebola

The 5-year-old boy was taken by ambulance from his home in the Soundview section of the Bronx on Sunday night to Bellevue Hospital. He tested negative for Ebola on Monday evening.


5:30 p.m. Ebola informational meeting in Queens

Officials in Queens are arming themselves with more information on Ebola to make sure people in their community feel secure.

A doctor from the city's Health Department went over details about the virus and how the city is responding to a potential outbreak during a meeting at the Queens Borough President's Office.

She emphasized that no one who exhibits symptoms will be turned away.

4:40 p.m. -- CDC announces updated Ebola guidelines, does not call for quarantine

The CDC announced four levels of monitoring for people who may have been exposed to the Ebola in the three West African countries. There is no quarantine in the guidelines, and all monitoring is voluntary. But the most strict category recommends home isolation

High-risk exposure: Travelers with known exposures to people with Ebola. CDC recommends "direct active monitoring" on a daily basis by someone who is accountable with local health department. Local public health authority insures they do not congregate. But non-congregant activities, like jogging in a park, could proceed. Also, federal travel restrictions could be in place.

The other categories are some risk, low but non-zero risk, and no identifiables.

Director Dr. Thomas Frieden said most states follow federal guidelines.

"If they wish to be more stringent, that's within their authority," he said. "But we believe these guidelines are based on science."

According to Frieden, 46 out of the 807 people who have returned from the three main Ebola countries have healthcare backgrounds. He said "active monitoring" of individuals symptoms and temperature is most important tactic to fight Ebola in U.S.

4:32 p.m. Bellevue transferring patients to make room for Ebola victims

Bellevue is transferring four ICU patients to NYU Langone to free up some staff to treat Dr. Spencer and other potential Ebola patients who may check in at the hospital. Two adults were transferred over the weekend, and two kids will be transferred Monday.

Statement from NYU Langone Medical Center:

"Patient transfer is a routine part of the longstanding clinical partnership between NYU Langone Medical Center and HHC Bellevue Hospital Center. NYU Langone accepted over the weekend two adult ICU patients from Bellevue. We expect to accept an additional two pediatric ICU patients today. These recent transfers will help alleviate some of the demand on Bellevue's critical care staff as they focus on current patient care issues."

3:24 p.m. Doctors Without Borders: Quarantine can undermine Ebola fight

Forced quarantine of asymptomatic health workers returning from fighting the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is not grounded on scientific evidence and could undermine efforts to curb the epidemic at its source, the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said today.

Diligent health monitoring of returnees from Ebola affected countries is preferable to coercive isolation of asymptomatic individuals.

"There are other ways to adequately address both public anxiety and health imperatives, and the response to Ebola must not be guided primarily by panic in countries not overly affected by the epidemic," said Sophie Delaunay, executive director of MSF-USA. "Any regulation not based on scientific medical grounds, which would isolate healthy aid workers, will very likely serve as a disincentive to others to combat the epidemic at its source, in West Africa."

12:30 p.m. UN Secretary-General takes issue with new Ebola quarantine rules

Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on restrictions applied to travellers from Ebola-affected countries:

The Secretary-General is concerned by the recent restrictions put in place in several countries and localities applying to people who have travelled to the main Ebola-affected countries.

He believes that these restrictions have put particular pressure on health care workers and those who have been on the frontline of the Ebola response. Returning health workers are exceptional people who are giving of themselves for humanity. They should not be subjected to restrictions that are not based on science. Those who develop infections should be supported, not stigmatized.

The Secretary-General reiterates that the best way for any country to protect itself from Ebola is to stop the outbreak at its source in West Africa. This requires considerable international health care worker support and in return for this support, we have an obligation to look after them.

9:00 a.m. Boy at Bellevue tested for Ebola

Health officials say the 5-year old boy taken to Bellevue Hospital has been tested for Ebola, after developing a fever Monday morning. Preliminary test results are expected by early afternoon.

9:30 a.m. Nurse quarantined in Newark to be released

The New Jersey Department of Health says Kaci Hickox, the nurse being monitored in isolation at University Hospital in Newark who tested negative for Ebola, is being discharged after being evaluated in coordination with the CDC and the treating clinicians at the hospital.


7:00 a.m. 5-year old boy observed at Bellevue for possible Ebola symptoms


ABC News confirms that a 5-year old boy is being observed at Bellevue Hospital for possible symptoms of Ebola. He had recently returned to New York City after traveling to Guinea.


5:30 a.m. -- The lawyer for Kaci Hickox says he will go to court if she is not released Monday from quarantine in New Jersey


Lisa Colagrossi reports from Newark:

11:30 p.m. -- Lucy Yang has the latest details on New York's quarantine policy from outside Bellevue Hospital

10:45 p.m. -- Christie says 'no change' in quarantine protocols in New Jersey

"New Jersey is not changing its quarantine protocol. The protocol is clear that a New Jersey resident with no symptoms, but who has come into contact with someone with Ebola, such as a health care provider, would be subject to a mandatory quarantine order and quarantined at home. Non-residents would be transported to their homes if feasible and, if not, quarantined in New Jersey." - Governor Chris Christie

9:30 p.m. -- Quarantined NJ nurse reaches out to attorney to fight for her release.

Kaci Hickox reached out to Attorney Norman Seigel to fight for her release. She is not allowed to leave and is under police watch. She calls her quarantine an "over reach" by politicians, who should be relying on the medical experts to determine who is really sick. She is especially upset with Governor Chris Christie for her treatment.

CLICK HERE to read more.

8:54 p.m. -- Cuomo details New York's mandatory quarantine policy

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Sunday night that the health care workers who have had contact with Ebola patients will be quarantined at home and receive twice-daily monitoring from medical professionals if they have no symptoms. The state will also pay for any lost compensation, if they are not paid by a volunteer organization.

Under the outlined New York guidelines, medical professionals who have had contact with Ebola patients will be quarantined at home and receive twice-daily monitoring if they have no symptoms. Family members will be allowed to stay, and friends may visit with the approval of health officials. The state will also pay for any lost compensation, if they are not paid by a volunteer organization.

8:15 p.m. -- Mayor Bill de Blasio, Governor Cuomo to give latest updates on Ebola

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Cuomo are holding a briefing to give the latest updates on Ebola. You can watch live by CLICKING HERE.


6:00 p.m -- de Blasio holds press conference, urges all New Yorkers to get flu shot



In a press conference at Bellevue Hospital on Sunday afternoon, Mayor Bill de Blasio urged all New Yorkers to get a flu shot if they have not already done so. He said many flu symptoms can be mistaken for Ebola symptoms, so that will help doctors and nurses.

de Blasio also visited Bellevue Hospital and weighed in on the nurse now in quarantine in Newark, calling her treatment "inappropriate". Eyewitness News has now learned that that nurse, Kaci Hickox has hired a lawyer.

4:55 p.m. -- Obama Administration voices concerns to Christie, Cuomo over healthcare workers

Sources tell ABC News that the Obama administration has concerns about Ebola quarantine polices put in place in New York and New Jersey, and will have new guidelines soon.


4:15 p.m. -- Mayor Bill de Blasio to make remarks at Bellevue Hospital

Kemberly Richardson will have a complete update on Eyewitness News at 6.

4:00 p.m -- Update on nurse quarantined in Newark


"The patient remains isolated and under observation in a climate-controlled, indoor, extended care area in a building adjacent to the hospital. A CDC team has toured the facility and consulted on site." - NJ Department of Health


12:30 p.m. Health care worker quarantined in Newark criticizes her treatment

The nurse who was quarantined at a New Jersey hospital because she had contact with Ebola patients in West Africa criticized the way her case has been handled.

In a phone interview with CNN Sunday, Kaci Hickox, who has tested negative for Ebola, said the "knee-jerk reaction by politicians" was not well planned out, "and to quarantine someone without a better plan in place, without more forethought, is just preposterous. This is an extreme that is really unacceptable and I feel like my basic human rights have been violated," Hickox said.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he sympathizes with Hickox, but said he has to do what he can to keep the public safe.


7:30 a.m. Health officials say Dr. Spencer 'is entering the next phase of his illness'


Dray Clark has an update on his condition from Bellevue Hospital.

1 a.m. -- Doctors optimistic about Dr. Spencer's recovery

AJ Ross has the latest updates from Hamilton Heights.

11:33 p.m. -- Ebola-free nurse remains in isolation due to new quarantine protocols



Kaci Hickox, a Doctors without Borders nurse, remains in isolation Saturday night at University Hospital in Newark, one day after she returned to the U.S. from west Africa and was immediately quarantined under new protocols.

READ MORE HERE


10:00 p.m. -- US ambassador to United Nations to visit countries hit hardest by Ebola

The United States ambassador to the United Nations is on her way to visit all three of the West African countries hit hardest by the Ebola outbreak, amid rising calls for travel restrictions back home in the U.S.

Samantha Power will visit Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea "to draw attention to the need for increased support for the international response," said a statement released late Saturday by the U.S. mission.

A spokesman said Power had already departed and was set to land in the capital of Guinea, Conakry, on Sunday. Earlier Saturday, the ambassador tweeted a photo of herself with Guinea's ambassador to the United Nations.

-AP


8:44 p.m. Two other people who came into contact with Dr. Spencer quarantined

Deputy Commissioner of Health Dr. Varma confirmed that there are two other people in who came into contact with Spencer being quarantined at their respective homes in the New York area. These locations and identities remain unknown at this time.

Morgan Dixon, fiance of Dr. Craig Spencer, arrived back at her residence tonight in the back of a grey Prius that was escorted by two police details.

Dixon, 30, is a development associate at the Hope Program in Brooklyn, which helps homeless and other disadvantaged adults find and keep jobs.

Dixon can continue to do what any healthy, uninfected person would do, but simply within the confines of her apartment.


- ABC


7:32 p.m. - Josh Einiger has the latest details from outside Dr. Spencer, Morgan Dixon's apartment in Hamilton Heights



7:00 p.m. -- Dr. Spencer's fiancee released from Bellevue Hospital



Just minutes ago, Dr. Spencer's fiance, Morgan Dixon, was released from Bellevue Hospital, and arrived home at their Hamilton Heights apartment, where she will be quarantined as a precaution until the morning of November 19th.

6:44: p.m. -- Few details offered on quarantines over Ebola

A nurse who treated Ebola patients in Sierra Leone is the first test case of quarantine policies now in effect in three states over heightened fears the deadly virus could be spread by health care workers returning to the United States.

But the sketchy details of how such quarantines will be handled drew sharp criticism from humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders while infectious disease experts said many of the logistics about enforcement are likely still up in the air.

Kaci Hickox, a Doctors Without Borders nurse, remained isolated at a hospital Saturday, a day after she returned to the U.S. and the governors of New York, New Jersey and Illinois announced mandatory 21-day quarantines for arriving travelers who had contact with Ebola patients in West Africa.

Also on Saturday, Florida's governor signed an executive order requiring mandatory health monitoring for anyone who is returning from Ebola-affected areas. Florida Joins New York, New Jersey and Illinois, all of which have mandatory 21-day quarantines now in place.


-AP and ABC

6:20 p.m. -- Dr. Craig Spencer enters 'next phase of illness'

5:42 p.m. -- Dallas nurse who survived Ebola must wait for dog



A Texas nurse who has recovered from Ebola must wait to see her King Charles spaniel, Bentley.

Nina Pham returned to Dallas late Friday after her release from the National Institutes of Health. She has repeatedly tested virus-free and said she was looking forward to see Bentley.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said Saturday the reunion will have to wait until the dog is released Nov. 1 from a quarantine period. Jenkins said officials must make sure the dog is virus-free and cannot infect others. Pham is now immune.

Jenkins said veterinarians are concerned that if Pham visits the dog, it might affect Bentley's behavior and make it harder to monitor for potential symptoms.

-AP

3:52 p.m. -- Fiancee, friends of Ebola patient to be released

Dr. Craig Spencer's fiancee, Morgan Dixon is expected to return to the home she and Spencer shared in Harlem. Two other friends of Spencer's will also be released. All three are expected to be under quarantine at their homes once released.

MORE ON THEIR RELEASE

2:59 -- Nurse in isolation writes about NJ's Ebola quarantine

The Dallas Morning News has published a piece by Kaci Hickox, a nurse who is in quarantine at University Hospital in Newark. Hickox writes that she is concerned about how health care workers are being treated at airports upon their arrival from West Africa and the frenzy of fear surrounding the virus.

Hickox told the Dallas Morning News she was stopped at Newark Liberty International and was questioned over several hours after touching down Friday. She said none of those who questioned her would say what was going on or what would happen to her.

Hickox is a nurse who had been working with Doctors Without Borders in Sierra Leone. Officials say she was taken to a hospital after developing a fever, but Hickox said she was merely flushed because she was upset by the process.

Hickox tested negative for Ebola in a preliminary evaluation. Hospital officials would not say whether she would remain there for the entire 21-day state-ordered quarantine period.

READ THE PIECE HERE

--AP and ABC

2:11 p.m. -- WHO: Number of Ebola-linked cases passes 10,000

More than 10,000 people have been infected with Ebola and nearly half of them have died, according to figures released Saturday by the World Health Organization, as the outbreak continues to spread.

The Ebola epidemic in West Africa is the largest ever outbreak of the disease with a rapidly rising death toll in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. There have also been cases in three other West African countries, Spain and the United States.

The U.N. health agency said Saturday that the number of confirmed, probable and suspected cases has risen to 10,141. Of those cases, 4,922 people have died. Its figures show about 200 new cases since the last report, four days ago.

1:59 p.m. -- Mayor at Meatball Shop

12:47 p.m. -- Colleagues: US doctor with Ebola was very careful

Colleagues of an American doctor who caught Ebola while treating patients in West Africa said he was a hard worker who conscientiously followed safety procedures.

Two health workers at the aid group's treatment center in Gueckedou, in southeastern Guinea, said Saturday that they are frightened by the news that Dr. Craig Spencer, with whom they worked there, had Ebola. They said staff at the clinic was redoubling efforts to protect themselves.

The two spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the press.

12:31 p.m. -- De Blasio plans appearance at restaurant where doctor infected with Ebola ate

Noon: Family of the fiancee of Dr. Craig Spencer, who is being treated for Ebola, issues statement



Statement from Morgan Dixon's family:

"The Dixon family is asking for your thoughts and prayers for Craig Spencer and his fiance, our daughter, Morgan Dixon. Dixon family members have NOT been in physical contact with Morgan or Craig since Craig's return to NYC from West Africa. We have confidence in the medical care Craig is receiving and we are hoping for a complete recovery. We are very proud of and support the work Craig has been involved with throughout his career. Thank you for supporting our privacy. We have no other comments at this time."

--Reported by WCPO

11:45 a.m.: NYC Ebola preparedness meeting planned

Sam Miller, associate commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, will speak at 5:30 p.m. at the Queens Borough Board Nov. 17. The title of the speech is: "Ebola preparedness in Queens and New York City."

10:30 a.m. -- What New York learned from Dallas about stopping Ebola

When New York Mayor Bill de Blasio addressed a jittery public after the first Ebola patient in New York was diagnosed, he spoke of how much city and federal officials have learned about treating and stopping Ebola since the first Ebola-infected patient was diagnosed in Dallas last month.

READ FULL STORY


9:40 a.m. -- Obama: Science, not fear, key to Ebola response

President Barack Obama says the U.S. must be guided by science - not fear - as it responds to Ebola.

In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama says he was proud to give Texas nurse Nina Pham a hug in the Oval Office after she was cured of Ebola. He says the other nurse who contracted Ebola is also improving.

Obama is praising New York's quick reaction to its first Ebola case. He says he's promised local officials any federal help they need. He is reminding Americans they can't contract Ebola unless they come into direct contact with a patient's bodily fluids.

9 a.m. -- Nina Pham arrives home



Nina Pham, who was released from the National Institutes of Health Friday after Ebola treatment, arrived at Fort Worth Meacham International Airport shortly before midnight on Oct. 24 and was accompanied by her mother, Diana, and her sister, Cathy. After being greeted by her father, Peter, Pham was presented with scrubs signed with well wishes by her colleagues at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas.

7 a.m. -- Quarantined health care professional in Newark tests negative

A statement from University Hospital in Newark:

A health care worker with a recent history of treating Ebola patients in West Africa who was quarantined after arrival from Newark Liberty International Airport yesterday has tested negative in a preliminary test for Ebola. The patient continues to be quarantined and remains in isolation and under observation at University Hospital in Newark.

MORE ON THE NEWARK PATIENT

Oct. 24:

9:13 p.m. -- Female patient taken into quarantine at University Hospital in Newark that initially had no symptoms has developed a fever.

--University Hospital statement: "The healthcare worker Governor Chris Christie indicated earlier today would be -quarantined because of a recent history of treating Ebola patients in West Africa had no symptoms upon arrival at Newark Liberty International Airport earlier today. This evening, the health care worker developed a fever and is now in isolation and being evaluated at University Hospital in Newark."

5:18 p.m. -- Cuomo, Christie release details of new state standards

Governor Andrew Cuomo and Governor Chris Christie announced additional screening protocols for Ebola at both JFK and Newark Liberty International Airports:

--There will be real-time access to on-the-ground screening at JFK and Newark Liberty International Airports by New York and New Jersey Departments of Health staff

--Each State Department of Health at JFK and Newark Liberty International Airports will, as permitted under applicable law, make its own determination as to hospitalization, quarantine, and other public health interventions for up to 21 days. There will also be a mandatory quarantine for any individual who had direct contact with an individual infected with the Ebola virus while in one of the three West African nations (Liberia, Sierra Leone, or Guinea), including any medical personnel having performed medical services to individuals infected with the Ebola virus. Additionally, all individuals with travel history to the affected regions of West Africa, with no direct contact with an infected person, will be actively monitored by public health officials and, if necessary, quarantined, depending on the facts and circumstances of their particular situation.

--New York and New Jersey are establishing enhanced communication protocols between their respective state health departments to coordinate on matters pertaining to New York and New Jersey resident travelers who fly into Newark and JFK

--The Centers of Disease Control (CDC) and Customs Border Patrol (CBP) will provide information to New York and New Jersey's respective State Departments of Health on all screening on a real-time basis and provide a daily recap as to the status of that day's screening and CDC determinations

4:40 p.m. -- Cuomo, Christie announce mandatory quarantine for high-risk passengers coming through area airports

In a major new state policy for New York and New Jersey, governors Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie announced a mandatory quarantine for people returning to US through area airports who are deemed "high risk." In the first application of the new set of standards, the states are quarantining a female healthcare worker returning from Africa who took care of Ebola patients. She is not sick, but the governors made the decision to quarantine anyway. It is a unilateral decision by the states.

4:36 p.m. -- Cuomo, Christie announce increase in screening

Governors Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie have decided that New York and New Jersey should have a more coordinated response, specifically in anticipation of a possible future patient coming through one of the region's three major airports. The two states have agreed to increase screening for travelers coming from foreign countries, including possible quarantines.

"We have informed the CDC of our intention and they have agreed that states have the right to establish their own guidelines" with regards to Ebola, Cuomo said.

3:38 p.m. -- Cuomo, Christie to hold joint press conference

Governors Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie have decided that New York and New Jersey should have a more coordinated response, specifically in anticipation of a possible future patient coming through one of the region's three major airports. The governors will discuss some of the planning enhanced protocols for airport screening and, if necessary, quarantining, at a 4 p.m. press conference.

2:20 p.m. -- Newly released Dallas nurse meets with Obama



She began the day in a hospital room in suburban Washington -- but now, Nina Pham has been released, in time for an afternoon meeting at the White House with President Barack Obama.

--AP

2:15 p.m. -- Stacey Sager chats with a doctor about Ebola safety

1:52 p.m.: Details on Ebola patient Dr. Craig Spencer's timeline



New York Mayor Bill de Blasio names the locations where Dr. Craig Spencer went before having Ebola symptoms:

The Gutter bowling alley, assessed and cleared
Blue Bottle Coffee at the Highline, assessed and cleared
The Meatball shop 64 Greenwich St., assessing and temporarily closed.

--ABC

1:28 p.m. -- MTA Statement on confirmed Ebola case

"The MTA New York City Subway system is safe to ride. The person diagnosed with Ebola in New York City rode the subway several times since returning from abroad, but the state and city health commissioners agree there was no risk to any other subway customers or any MTA employees.

Ebola is spread only by contact with the bodily fluids of a contagious person, and the virus cannot live for more than a few hours on hard surfaces. There is no indication the patient was contagious when he rode the subway. There is no indication he emitted any bodily fluids on the subway. There were no reports of bodily fluids on any of the subway lines he rode.

The MTA has existing protocols for cleaning potentially infectious waste such as bodily fluids from anywhere in the mass transit network. They include isolating a bus, train car or subway car so no other customers can enter, providing personal protective equipment and training for employees who have to remove the waste, and ensuring it is disposed of safely.

Based on advice from health experts, the MTA has updated the protocols to ensure employees are issued nitrile gloves, use a 10% bleach solution for disinfection, and double-bag any potentially infectious waste. The MTA continues to consult closely with health officials and labor representatives to ensure its protocols for cleaning the subway system are based on the best practices for protecting employees and customers."

1:26 p.m. -- NYC mayor: Use 911 or ER if you suspect Ebola

Mayor Bill de Blasio says New Yorkers should call 911 or go to an emergency room if they have possible Ebola symptoms and were in affected countries in the last 21 days. He said people in that situation should not go to a doctor's office.

De Blasio said people should not worry about their documentation status if they think they might have the disease. The mayor noted that flu and Ebola might have similar symptoms. He said it's important to get a flu shot.

1:22 p.m. -- Doctors Without Borders releases statement about member Dr. Craig Spencer

An excerpt:

"Extremely strict procedures are in place for staff dispatched to Ebola affected countries before, during, and after their assignments," said Sophie Delaunay, executive director of MSF. "Despite the strict protocols, risk cannot be completely eliminated. However, close post-assignment monitoring allows for early detection of cases and for swift isolation and medical management."

"Tragically, as we struggle to bring the Ebola outbreak in West Africa under control, some members of our staff have not been spared," said Ms. Delaunay. "Our thoughts are with our colleague in his own struggle right now, and we sincerely hope for his quick and full recovery."


12:53 p.m. -- Emory Healthcare update on Amber Vinson

From a statement from Emory:

"Emory University Hospital physicians, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are pleased to report that Amber Vinson is making good progress in her treatment for Ebola virus infection. Tests no longer detect virus in her blood. She remains within Emory's Serious Communicable Diseases Unit for continued supportive care. We do not have a discharge date at this time."

12:47 p.m. -- Clean-up continues at Ebola patient's apartment

A clean-up crew remains at the apartment of Dr. Craig Spencer. Three or four people are inside, and there is a truck outside.



From the New York City Department of Health:

"We do not believe there are any body fluids in the apt because the patient did not report any vomiting ... Our contractor will clean and disinfect out of an abundance of caution. They will throw away the bed linens, towels, toiletries, food in the fridge, throw away garbage," it said. "They will wipe down hard, frequently touched surfaces with disinfectant. And once complete, we will inspect and certify the apartment is OK to re-enter."

12:43 p.m. -- This afternoon, President Obama plans to meet with Dallas nurse Nina Pham.

12:34 p.m. -- De Blasio news conference underway

12:05: Nina Pham thanks caretakers



"I feel fortunate and blessed to be standing here today," she said at an NIH news conference. She asked for prayers for Amber Vinson and Craig Spencer, and for "my privacy and my family's privacy to be respected." She plans to returns to Dallas to try to resume "a normal life" and reunite with her dog, Bentley.

Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, of the NIH, said she had "five negative consecutive PCRs" showing she's negative. They tested so many times because NIH is a research institution, and it's not the norm, he said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON PHAM

11:35 a.m. -- Changes come to Dallas hospital after Ebola scare

Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas has implemented changes to better prepare medical professionals to address infectious diseases.

Highlights of initial insights:

Upgraded medical record software with a screening tool
New triage procedures to quickly identify at-risk patients
A triage procedure to move high-risk patients immediately from ER
Policy of checking cleared patients 30 minutes prior to discharge
Nurses and doctors will increase face-to-face communication

11:21 a.m. -- De Blasio hops the subway

10:48 a.m. -- NIH to release Nina Pham



The first nurse diagnosed with Ebola after treating an infected man at a Dallas hospital is free of the virus.

The National Institutes of Health says in a statement that Nina Pham is being released Friday from its hospital near Washington.

The Dallas nurse and Ebola patient will be released from its Clinical Center Special Clinical Studies Unit. She was admitted Oct. 16 with Ebola and is now virus free.


10:41 a.m. -- Lawmaker: New case raises questions on Ebola

The new case of Ebola diagnosed in New York City has raised "even more questions about procedures in treating patients and risks to Americans," a Republican committee chairman said Friday.

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., spoke as he convened a hearing of his House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on the Ebola problem.

"I think we all know that the system is not yet refined to where we could say it's working properly," Issa said. "It would be a major mistake to underestimate what Ebola could do to populations around the world and any further fumbles, bumbles, missteps ... can no longer be tolerated."

But the committee's top Democrat, Elijah Cummings of Maryland, said that the swift and comprehensive response to the case in New York shows that the U.S. health community has made strides since the initial misdiagnosis of a patient in Texas, who later died.
"It appears that health care authorities have come a long way in preparing for Ebola since Thomas Duncan first walked into a Texas hospital last month," Cummings said.

10:17 a.m. -- A neighbor of the New York City Ebola patient says she's more concerned for him than she is for herself.

Office assistant Tanya Thomas said Friday she was proud to learn that a physician from Doctors Without Borders was living in her building.

Says Thomas of the virus: "If I get it, I get it."

She said an Ebola information card from the city had been slipped under her door.

--AP

9:46 a.m. -- Morgan Dixon's Twitter profile photo:

9:12 a.m. -- EWN reporter Dave Evans is in Brooklyn:

9:15 p.m. -- On Friday at 11 a.m., Mayor Bill de Blasio will host a news conference at the Office of Emergency Management in Brooklyn to update New Yorkers on the patient at Bellevue Hospital.

8:53 a.m. -- Gutter just posted a statement on Facebook that says they "expect to be open sometime today":
8:49 a.m. -- Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett just said on CNN that "as far as I know, the patient is stable. The last work on the patient this morning is he continues to be stable."

Regarding the temperature, Bassett also said, "It was 100.3 and I want to make clear that the patient always gave us this number."

7:10 a.m. -- New York City Councilman Mark Levine just briefed reporters in front of Spencer apartment building:

Clean up team will arrive this morning at the apartment. They will be looking for anything that contains bodily fluids like toothbrushes and sheets. The councilman was unclear on who was doing the cleanup or the size of the team but they will be wearing protective gear. He thinks the team coming in is from the New York Department of Health, but is unsure. Levine said he is confident nobody became contaminated because the apartment has been sealed off since the doctor left yesterday. The doctor sealed it himself.

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