At least one confirmed Ebola patient is here at Presbyterian hospital, which is just east of Preston Hollow.
A Dallas ISD representative today says that five students in various DISD schools may have had contact with the man who recently was diagnosed with the Ebola virus. We also have learned that the Ebola patient, now identified as Thomas Eric Duncan, was transported to Presbyterian hospital from a Vickery Meadow area home. No Preston Hollow schools are listed, but the Vickery Meadow area, which neighbors ours, is home to several potential sites of exposure …
Students from the following schools may have been exposed: Emmett J. Conrad High School (map) and Sam Tasby Middle School (those are in the Vickery Meadow area, which is east of I-75 but in the same council district as much of Preston Hollow), L.L. Hotchkiss Elementary School (north of Northwest Highway near Skillman) and Dan D. Rogers Elementary (in East Dallas).
“The impacted students currently are not showing symptoms and are under close observation by the Dallas County Health and Human Services Department. As a precautionary measure, the students have been advised to stay home from school. Since the students are not presenting any symptoms, there is nothing to suggest that the disease was spread to others including students and staff,” note school officials.
Individuals are not contagious until symptoms appear, say health officials. “Because of this, there is no imminent danger to children in the school district.”
The Ebola patient, not identified, was transported to Presbyterian Hospital on Walnut Hill from an apartment complex in the 75231 zip code, about a mile east of NorthPark.
Some news outlets are reporting that a second patient is experiencing signs of the virus.
Dallas ISD notes that the district is in regular communication with the Centers for Disease Control, the City of Dallas, and Dallas County Health and Human Services. Updates will be provided as they are received.
A recorded hotline is being established to provide any updates on this situation. The number for this hotline is 972.925.5810. In addition, the district has created a web page where information will be updated as it becomes available. http://www.dallasisd.org/healthupdates
Read up on the Ebola virus here. And, while it is good to remain vigilant, it is also not good to freak out, so also read this piece from The Week about why you probably won’t catch Ebola, even if you happened to shake hands with America’s ‘patient zero’.
