Local News

Northeast Ohio Responds to Ebola Concerns

CLEVELAND (AP): Ohio health officials say the risk of contracting the Ebola virus is small, but are taking precautions for potential exposure.

The actions come after Dallas nurse Amber Joy Vinson visited Northeast Ohio and then flew back to Texas before being diagnosed with the virus.

The Ohio Department of Health says people infected with Ebola aren't contagious until they get symptoms. Officials say Ohio has no cases of Ebola.

The Ohio Department of Health issued additional recommendations for dealing with Ebola to health care providers and health department officials across the state late Wednesday night.

Officials also say one individual in Ohio who had household contact with the nurse is self-quarantined at home Tuesday.

A Cleveland-area school district is taking precautions after learning that an employee may have flown on a plane that also had carried a nurse diagnosed with Ebola.

Solon City Schools in suburban Cleveland canceled classes in two buildings Thursday after it learned a staff member might have flown on the Frontier Airlines plane as the nurse.

WKYC-TV reports the Solon Middle School staff member was not on the same flight but possibly flew on the same plane as Vinson. The district sent an email to parents Wednesday saying the middle school and an elementary would be closed and disinfected.

City and airport officials say Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is disinfecting key areas of the facility and providing personal protection for equipment employees.

Two large Cleveland hospital systems say some of their nurses and other employees were on a flight from have been placed paid leave as a precaution.

The district says officials don't believe the staff member is a risk because she didn't come in direct contact with Vinson.

Ohio health officials aren't sure how many people came into contact the nurse when she visited family from Oct. 8-13 and flew Monday from Cleveland to Dallas.

The state epidemiologist, Dr. Mary DiOrio says Ohio and Summit County health officials are working to identify and alert people who may have been in close contact with the woman and implement quarantines if necessary.

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