HOUSTON, Texas — Thomas Eric Duncan, the man who was recently diagnosed with Ebola in Dallas, Texas, was rushed to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital via ambulance on September 27. Prior to being quarantined at the hospital, Duncan was staying at an apartment in Northeast Dallas. Authorities have finally had the apartment unit cleaned, six days after the Ebola patient was quarantined by medical authorities. Duncan’s girlfriend and several others were quarantined inside of the residence during cleaning but removed later in the day.
It is easy for one to wonder why it took six days for the apartment unit to be cleaned, given that people were living inside of the unit, and in neighboring units. Despite the apparent outbreak threat, children continue to walk freely around the apartment complex, which appears to house many families.
On Friday morning, the Dallas Fire Department appeared on the scene to prepare for the arrival of a HAZMAT contractor. According to CNN, linens soiled with sweat of the Ebola patient remained in the apartment unit with the quarantined residence.
Specifics about the hygiene of the apartment are not known at this time.
Many may be inclined to feel disheartened at the government’s lengthy response time to dispose of contaminated items from the Ebola patient.
The delay seemingly contradicts the notion put forward by the federal and state government that authorities are completely prepared to deal Ebola, and that the general population should not be afraid of a large scale breakout.
Amid Duncan’s diagnosis, the feds have refused to ban flights from countries afflicted by Ebola. On any given day, there are dozens of relatively cheap flights available from Liberia, where Duncan traveled from, to Washington DC.
Still, the CDC insists there is no need to put a stop to such flights.
Follow Kristin Tate on Twitter @KristinBTate.
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