76 hospital workers at risk of Ebola infection

At least 76 hospital workers in Dallas could be at risk of contracting Ebola, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Tuesday.

CDC director Tom Frieden said the government has cast “a wide net” to identify people who may have had contact with the Ebola patient who died at the hospital last week. 

That includes anyone who entered the room of the Dallas hospital’s first Ebola patient, Thomas Eric Duncan, and anyone who might have handled specimens of his blood, Frieden said. {mosads}

All 76 people are now being monitored daily for signs of Ebola, in addition to the 48 people who are considered at-risk because of possible exposure to Duncan.

None of those 48 people have shown symptoms and Frieden said it would be “unusual” if they did after two weeks. 

Frieden said more Dallas hospital workers could be added to the active surveillance process.

“We may identity a few more people as we go through records,” he said