WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, OH- Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) was notified today by the Centers for Disease Control (OH-11) that a nurse who had treated an infected Ebola patient in Dallas, Texas had traveled through Cleveland Hopkins International Airport on Monday, October 13, 2014. The nurse traveled on Frontier Airlines Flight 1143 from Cleveland and was subsequently diagnosed with the Ebola virus after she reached Dallas.  In addition, it was learned that the nurse had spent time in Akron visiting family.

“Preventing the spread of the Ebola virus and the safety of all individuals who may have been exposed to it in my district and for the traveling public are of utmost concern to me,” said Congresswoman Fudge.

“I have directed a series of questions to the CDC, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Hopkins Airport officials and hospitals in my district to evaluate steps being taken to deal with exposure and to protect the public. I will continue to monitor the situation closely and evaluate our federal agencies’ response and resources directed to Northeast Ohio.  It is clear that at the very least we must carefully reassess screening protocols if an individual was able to travel on a commercial airline and be diagnosed within hours of the flight with this virus capable of causing serious illness. My thoughts are with the nurse who contracted Ebola and with her family.”

Congresswoman Fudge urges any passengers on Frontier Flight 1143 with concerns about exposure to the Ebola virus to contact the CDC helpline, 1-800-CDC-INFO.

On background: In September, Congresswoman Fudge co-signed a letterto the Chair and Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee in support of increased funding to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and a federal agency known as the Biological Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).  In this letter she urged appropriation of increased funding to combat the Ebola outbreak.  The House subsequently voted to authorize additional funding.  It includes $30 million for on-the-ground operations by CDC personnel in the impacted region of Africa as well as support staff in the U.S., and $58 million to accelerate development and testing of a drug that’s shown promise in treating Ebola as well as continued development and manufacture of two Ebola vaccines.

See a copy of the letter here.