CDC Expands Ebola Probe To Nurse's Flight To Ohio

The Daily Meal Staff|

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AKRON, Ohio (CBSDFW.COM/AP) – A health official says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expanding its Ebola investigation to include passengers on Frontier flight 1142 Friday that carried Amber Vinson, the second American to contract the virus on U.S. soil. Their decision is based on additional information obtained during interviews of Vinson's close contacts, which indicate she may have been symptomatic while traveling.

"She was within three feet of us, so yeah, I'm really worried about that," says Taylor Cole, who was on the same flight to Dallas with Vinson on Oct. 10, 2014.

Public health professionals will interview passengers like Cole about the flight, answer their questions, and arrange follow ups if warranted. Individuals who are determined to be at any potential risk will be actively monitored.

Dr. Chris Braden of the CDC said Thursday that health officials are investigating whether Vinson had symptoms as far back as Saturday. He says they can't rule out that she may "have had the start of her illness on Friday."

But Cole, along with his friend Axl Goode says they aren't happy the CDC allowed Vinson to fly even though she had a 99.5 temperature.

"If they're the experts, they should have given us the choice to be on that flight or not. I would have opted for a different flight," said Goode, who's quarantined at home.

Complete Coverage Of Ebola In North Texas

Vinson, 29, was visiting family in the Akron area last weekend. She flew Monday from Cleveland back to Dallas before she was diagnosed. Officials previously stressed that Vinson didn't show symptoms during her Ohio visit.

Braden says health officials will include passengers on Vinson's Friday flight into Cleveland as part of their investigation of contacts, in addition to passengers on Monday's flight.

Passengers who may have traveled on flight 1142 or flight 1143 should contact the CDC at 1.800.CDC.INFO (1.800.232.4636).

(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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