The first case of an American contracting the Ebola virus within the United States was recorded just a few days ago and the previously unidentified patient is now known as Nina Pham, a 26-year old nurse who was part of the medical team assigned to the care of Thomas Eric Duncan, the first Ebola patient in the country who died of the disease several days before at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas.
Pham was taken into isolation after manifesting Ebola-like symptoms and was also recently subjected to a blood transfusion using blood from Ebola survivor, Dr. Kent Brantly. Dr. Brantly had also previously donated blood to fellow American health worker Dr. Richard Sacra who is now also a survivor of the disease, as well as to NBC cameraman Ashoka Mukpo. After the recent transfusion, the doctors who are attending to Pham say that this procedure could play an important role in helping her survive Ebola as well.
Now, news has surfaced that Pham's boyfriend has been exposed to the virus and is not reportedly admitted at the same hospital because he was exhibiting symptoms consistent with the disease. He is now being held in isolation.The man reportedly works at a pharmaceutical ophthalmological company called Alcon in Fort Worth, Texas.
On October 13, Alcon CEO, Jeff George, sent out an official e-mail to employees of the company confirming that the man is indeed being quarantined, although there was no mention of a confirmation that he had Ebola. In the e-mail, he said that the man was put in isolation as a precautionary measure since he came in contact with Pham. He assured that there is no immediate health threat to "Alcon Associates," and that the company is now working closely with the Texas Department of Health and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure that the company is in line with "public health measures."