CDC Insists That Ebola Won't Spread In U.S.
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Cleanup continued on Monday at the Dallas apartment unit where Ebola patient Thomas Duncan stayed before he was admitted to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital for treatment. There were many vehicles and crew members at The Ivy Apartments and, after three days of work, the location was officially cleaned as of Monday afternoon.
Arlington company CG Environmental is the first in the United States to deal with an environmental waste cleanup after Ebola.
Officials said that around 100 drums were filled and removed Monday afternoon. Larger items inside of the apartment unit were broken down into smaller pieces in order to fit inside of the barrels.
The cleanup process was said to be very extensive, including the removal of bedding and furniture -- nearly everything except for the family's most personal items, like photographs and jewelry. Even the apartment unit's carpeting was removed. Workers rotated in every 30 minutes because the airtight safety suits became hot quickly.
The hazardous materials were taken away from the site on Monday afternoon, but it has not been said where they will end up.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to stress that an Ebola outbreak will not happen in the United States as it has in parts of west Africa. President Barack Obama is scheduled to get a briefing from the CDC about the Ebola situation on Monday.
Still, leaders in the local Liberian community said that fear of the virus is keeping many people isolated. Pastor James Kollie of Better Start Church in Garland said that most of his congregation stayed away from services on Sunday. "We almost had an empty church," he explained. "Some people stayed away because they don't know who came in contact with the Ebola patient, Mr. Duncan. And fear is one of the dangerous things that anyone can have. It victimizes people."
Kollie is working to better educate his congregation and the community about the Ebola virus, something that he sees as key to alleviating the fear. But an Ebola meeting held later Sunday evening was met with the same results -- more seats that were empty than filled.
Ebola concerns have also canceled National Night Out plans for Tuesday in the Dallas community of Vickery Meadow. Instead of having one larger event, people are encouraged to meet in smaller groups. And many of the discussions will be centered around public health.
Complete Coverage Of Ebola In Dallas
First responders were in north Dallas on Sunday looking for a homeless man who is on the CDC's contact list. His name is Michael Lively, and he is often seen panhandling along Central Expressway. Lively was transported to the hospital in the same ambulance as Duncan, shortly after the Ebola patient was rushed to the hospital. He is considered one of the 'low-risk' contacts.
Officials located Lively and first took him to Parkland Hospital for observation. He is now being kept at an undisclosed location. "We'll make sure that he's in a safe and comfortable place for himself, and the public need not worry that he's being compliant with the monitoring," said Judge Clay Jenkins. "He's being well taken care of."
Meanwhile, over the weekend, Duncan took a turn for the worse. His condition was first announced as critical, but then upgraded to serious after a few days of treatment. The latest update from medical personnel stated that Duncan's condition has gone back to critical. However, he is said to be getting an "investigational medication" called brincidofovir.
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