WATCH: More people were exposed to the Dallas man infected with Ebola than first thought and it turns out he was turned away from a hospital five days ago when he showed up complaining of symptoms. Jackson Proskow reports.
WASHINGTON – Health officials in the state of Texas have ordered four close family members of the Ebola patient in Dallas to stay in their home, and they’ve posted law enforcement outside to be sure.
Federal and Texas health officials are reaching out to about 100 people to determine if they have had contact with the Ebola patient hospitalized in Dallas.
WATCH: Health officials are addressing fears of an Ebola outbreak in North America after a man was diagnosed with the deadly virus in Dallas.
But Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Tom Frieden said Thursday they’ve only identified a handful of individuals so far who may really have been exposed and therefore will be monitored.
READ MORE: Ebola risk “low” in Canada
Texas state health commissioner David Lakey said the unusual quarantine step with the four relatives was so health officials could do the necessary monitoring, including checking them for fevers over the next 21 days.
WATCH: Health officials say the patient in Dallas was in contact with about 18 people, and those people had contact with about 80 others. Marlie Hall is in Dallas with the latest.
“We didn’t have the confidence we would have been able to monitor them the way that we needed to,” Lakey said.
READ MORE: Canadian health officials urge calm on Ebola
Texas officials are delivering groceries to the home and are preparing to have it professionally cleaned.
WATCH: US health officials trying to downplay Ebola fears
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the Ebola patient’s belongings and clothes and household trash, possibly including his sheets, are bagged inside the house so the family members cannot come into contact with them until they are removed.
WATCH: CDC official confirms around 100 people had contact with Ebola patient
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