Ebola Update
Ebola survivor donates blood to Texas nurse infected with virus
Dr. Kent Brantly, the Fort Worth doctor who survived Ebola, has donated blood to a Dallas nurse who recently contracted the virus, widespread media reports indicate. Brantly previously donated blood to a freelance journalist diagnosed with Ebola.
Nina Pham was one of the people caring for Thomas Eric Duncan at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. Duncan died on October 8. Pham was diagnosed with Ebola on October 11. After initially requesting total privacy, Pham's family released her name and photograph to the media.
The 26-year-old TCU graduate grew up in Fort Worth and now lives in Dallas. Her car and apartment were promptly decontaminated, and her dog Bentley is in the care of Dallas Animal Services.
Pham's case has sparked increased concern about Ebola's spread. She contracted the disease despite the fact that she wore gloves, face shield and a protective gown. CDC director Thomas Frieden said Pham's infection was caused by a "breach in protocol." He later clarified that he was not faulting Texas Health Presbyterian or Pham.
"People on the front lines are really protecting all of us. People on the front lines are fighting Ebola," Frieden said. "The enemy here is a virus. Ebola. It's not a person. It's not a country. It's not a place. It's not a hospital."