Some Atlantians Concerned Fort Worth Doctor's Ebola Could Spread
ATLANTA (CBSDFW.COM) - Kent Brantly's condition seems to be improving. His wife issued a statement saying he's in good spirits and that he wanted to thank everyone for their support.
He received an experimental serum in Africa, which could explain his improvement. But in Atlanta, there is some resentment and concern from residents that Ebola has been brought to their city.
It's a city of 450,000 people. Some Atlanta residents believe it's not the best place to treat people with a hyper infectious and deadly disease.
"I really hate that they had to bring them here, but I guess it's something they had to do," said Atlanta Resident John Duncan.
John Duncan is not the only person who worries about the decision to bring Fort Worth doctor Kent Brantly to Emory University.
"If, God forbid, this thing breaks out of the Emory Center where it is -- and I understand some precautions have been taken -- but nevertheless there is some sort of risk... We've never had this thing on our soil; we don't know what the effects would possibly be," said another concerned Atlanta Resident Matthew Stevenson.
Experts say the Ebola virus isn't spread through the air, and Brantly resides in a glass-protected room in an isolated wing of the hospital.
That's enough to reassure some people who live nearby.
"I think it's a good thing. If I was an American and I went over there and got sick, bring me home," said resident Virginia Turner.
"My minor in graduate school was in biochemistry, so I'm not in any way freaked out by this," said resident Phil Graham.
Still the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, which is overseeing Brantley's treatment, admitted this year that its workers mishandled samples of anthrax, smallpox and avian flu.
"There were lapses in our laboratory. Fortunately, we identified them and reported them before anyone got harmed and before there was any release of anything into the community," explained Tom Frieden, who works for the CDC.
While Brantly is already receiving treatment here, it's been announced today that American aid worker Nancy Whitebol will arrive in Atlanta Tuesday morning.
She will go into the same area of the hospital that Brantley is in and - hopefully - will show signs of recovery from the deadly disease.
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