International
University of Texas at Arlington / AP
A nurse held in quarantine for Ebola monitoring in New Jersey plans to file a federal lawsuit challenging her confinement as a violation of her civil rights, her lawyer told Reuters news agency on Sunday.
Kaci Hickox, a nurse returning from Sierra Leone, arrived at New Jersey's Newark airport on Friday and was questioned by officials in protective gear amid what she said was a mis-diagnosis of fever, followed by a transfer to a hospital isolation tent.
Norman Siegel, a well-known civil rights lawyer, said that Hickox's confinement has raised "serious constitutional and civil liberties issues," given that she is not showing symptoms and has not tested positive for Ebola.
"We're not going to dispute that the government has, under certain circumstances, the right to issue a quarantine," he said. But he added, "The policy is overly broad when applied to her."
Hickox said she fears what lies ahead for other U.S. health workers trying to help battle the epidemic that has killed thousands of people in West Africa.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Sunday echoed some of Hickox's concerns, telling news media that he has "heard reports in the last few days of nurses being mistreated in the city," and that he has also heard of "people being unwilling to serve them food."
"We have to respect our first responders," de Blasio said. "This is a very difficult disease to contract,” as it is spread “only through direct contact with bodily fluids" from an infected person.
Along with New York and New Jersey, Illinois has now imposed quarantines for anyone arriving with a risk of having contracted Ebola in West Africa.
The director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony Fauci, recommended against the quarantines, saying they could have the unintended consequence of discouraging health care professionals from volunteering to combat the epidemic.
“The best way to protect us is to stop the epidemic in Africa, and we need those health care workers so we do not want to put them in a position where it makes it very, very uncomfortable for them to even volunteer to go,” Fauci said.
He said active and direct monitoring can accomplish the same thing as a quarantine, because people infected with Ebola do not become contagious until they start showing symptoms.
A White House source, who requested anonymity because of not being authorized to speak to the media, told The Associated Press that the Obama administration had conveyed to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo that their newly imposed mandatory Ebola quarantines are "not grounded in science." But it stopped short of asking them to change course.
Kevin Roberts, a spokesman for Christie, released a statement within hours that said "New Jersey is not changing its quarantine protocol. The protocol is clear that a New Jersey resident with no symptoms, but who has come into contact with someone with Ebola, such as a health care provider, would be subject to a mandatory quarantine order and quarantined at home. Non-residents would be transported to their homes if feasible and, if not, quarantined in New Jersey.”
Cuomo, however, said Sunday night that the health care workers who have had contact with Ebola patients will be quarantined at home and receive twice-daily monitoring from medical professionals if they have no symptoms. The state will also pay for any lost compensation, if they are not paid by a volunteer organization.
The governor had criticized Dr. Craig Spencer, the New York doctor who tested positive for Ebola on Thursday after returning from working with Ebola patients in West Africa, for not obeying a 21-day voluntary quarantine.
On Sunday, he called the health care workers "heroes" and said his administration would encourage more medical workers to volunteer to fight Ebola.
"Will they (health care workers who battle Ebola) be made to feel like criminals and prisoners?" Hickox wrote in an article published Saturday on The Dallas Morning News website.
"I am scared that, like me, they will arrive and see a frenzy of disorganization, fear and, most frightening, quarantine," wrote Hickox, who had worked with the medical charity organization Doctors Without Borders.
New York and New Jersey imposed 21-day quarantines after Spencer, a New York City doctor, was diagnosed with the disease on Thursday, days after returning home from working with patients in Guinea.
Medical authorities told reporters on Sunday that Spencer's condition was "serious but stable." He is currently experiencing gastrointestinal complications, local news channel WABC reported Saturday, citing doctors at Bellevue Hospital, where Spencer had been admitted after developing a fever.
Spencer’s case — and the fact he was out and about in the crowded city in the period before his symptoms emerged — set off renewed worries in the U.S. about the spread of the disease.
Illinois will now require a mandatory quarantine of anyone who has had direct contact with Ebola patients in the affected African countries. The quarantines imposed by the three states exceed current U.S. government guidelines.
‘Frenzy of disorganization’
"Will they be made to feel like criminals and prisoners?" Hickox wrote in an article published on Saturday by The Dallas Morning News on its website.
"I am scared that, like me, they will arrive and see a frenzy of disorganization, fear and, most frightening, quarantine," wrote Hickox, who had worked with the charity medical organization Doctors Without Borders.
New York and New Jersey imposed 21-day quarantines after a New York City doctor, Craig Spencer, was diagnosed with the disease on Thursday, days after returning home from working with patients in Guinea.
Spencer is currently “entering the next phase” of Ebola, experiencing gastrointestinal complications, local news channel WABC reported on Saturday, citing doctors at Bellevue Hospital, where Spencer had been admitted after developing a fever.
Spencer’s case and the fact he was out and about in the city in the period before his symptoms emerged set off renewed worries in the United States about the spread of the disease.
Illinois will now also require a mandatory quarantine of anyone who has had direct contact with Ebola patients in those countries. The quarantines imposed by the three states exceed current U.S. government guidelines, although the Obama administration is discussing similar measures.
Ebola, spread through direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected person, is not transmitted by people who are not showing symptoms.
Arrival treatment criticized
Hickox's account of her treatment echoed concerns of critics of the mandatory quarantines who say they could discourage Americans from going to help control the epidemic.
Ebola has killed almost half of more than 10,000 people diagnosed with the disease - predominantly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea - although the true toll is far higher, according to the World Health Organization.
Doctors Without Borders has criticized Hickox's treatment.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, asked by reporters about the nurse's complaints, said his first obligation was the safety of the people of New Jersey.
"Inconvenience that could occur from having folks that are symptomatic and ill out amongst the public is a much, much greater concern of mine," he said.
Al Jazeera and wire services
‘Frenzy of disorganization’
"Will they be made to feel like criminals and prisoners?" Hickox wrote in an article published on Saturday by The Dallas Morning News on its website.
"I am scared that, like me, they will arrive and see a frenzy of disorganization, fear and, most frightening, quarantine," wrote Hickox, who had worked with the charity medical organization Doctors Without Borders.
New York and New Jersey imposed 21-day quarantines after a New York City doctor, Craig Spencer, was diagnosed with the disease on Thursday, days after returning home from working with patients in Guinea.
Spencer is currently “entering the next phase” of Ebola, experiencing gastrointestinal complications, local news channel WABC reported on Saturday, citing doctors at Bellevue Hospital, where Spencer had been admitted after developing a fever.
Spencer’s case and the fact he was out and about in the city in the period before his symptoms emerged set off renewed worries in the United States about the spread of the disease.
Illinois will now also require a mandatory quarantine of anyone who has had direct contact with Ebola patients in those countries. The quarantines imposed by the three states exceed current U.S. government guidelines, although the Obama administration is discussing similar measures.
Ebola, spread through direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected person, is not transmitted by people who are not showing symptoms.
Arrival treatment criticized
Hickox's account of her treatment echoed concerns of critics of the mandatory quarantines who say they could discourage Americans from going to help control the epidemic.
Ebola has killed almost half of more than 10,000 people diagnosed with the disease - predominantly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea - although the true toll is far higher, according to the World Health Organization.
Doctors Without Borders has criticized Hickox's treatment.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, asked by reporters about the nurse's complaints, said his first obligation was the safety of the people of New Jersey.
"Inconvenience that could occur from having folks that are symptomatic and ill out amongst the public is a much, much greater concern of mine," he said.
Al Jazeera and wire services
‘Frenzy of disorganization’
"Will they be made to feel like criminals and prisoners?" Hickox wrote in an article published on Saturday by The Dallas Morning News on its website.
"I am scared that, like me, they will arrive and see a frenzy of disorganization, fear and, most frightening, quarantine," wrote Hickox, who had worked with the charity medical organization Doctors Without Borders.
New York and New Jersey imposed 21-day quarantines after a New York City doctor, Craig Spencer, was diagnosed with the disease on Thursday, days after returning home from working with patients in Guinea.
Spencer is currently “entering the next phase” of Ebola, experiencing gastrointestinal complications, local news channel WABC reported on Saturday, citing doctors at Bellevue Hospital, where Spencer had been admitted after developing a fever.
Spencer’s case and the fact he was out and about in the city in the period before his symptoms emerged set off renewed worries in the United States about the spread of the disease.
Illinois will now also require a mandatory quarantine of anyone who has had direct contact with Ebola patients in those countries. The quarantines imposed by the three states exceed current U.S. government guidelines, although the Obama administration is discussing similar measures.
Ebola, spread through direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected person, is not transmitted by people who are not showing symptoms.
Arrival treatment criticized
Hickox's account of her treatment echoed concerns of critics of the mandatory quarantines who say they could discourage Americans from going to help control the epidemic.
Ebola has killed almost half of more than 10,000 people diagnosed with the disease - predominantly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea - although the true toll is far higher, according to the World Health Organization.
Doctors Without Borders has criticized Hickox's treatment.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, asked by reporters about the nurse's complaints, said his first obligation was the safety of the people of New Jersey.
"Inconvenience that could occur from having folks that are symptomatic and ill out amongst the public is a much, much greater concern of mine," he said.
Al Jazeera and wire services
‘Frenzy of disorganization’
"Will they be made to feel like criminals and prisoners?" Hickox wrote in an article published on Saturday by The Dallas Morning News on its website.
"I am scared that, like me, they will arrive and see a frenzy of disorganization, fear and, most frightening, quarantine," wrote Hickox, who had worked with the charity medical organization Doctors Without Borders.
New York and New Jersey imposed 21-day quarantines after a New York City doctor, Craig Spencer, was diagnosed with the disease on Thursday, days after returning home from working with patients in Guinea.
Spencer is currently “entering the next phase” of Ebola, experiencing gastrointestinal complications, local news channel WABC reported on Saturday, citing doctors at Bellevue Hospital, where Spencer had been admitted after developing a fever.
Spencer’s case and the fact he was out and about in the city in the period before his symptoms emerged set off renewed worries in the United States about the spread of the disease.
Illinois will now also require a mandatory quarantine of anyone who has had direct contact with Ebola patients in those countries. The quarantines imposed by the three states exceed current U.S. government guidelines, although the Obama administration is discussing similar measures.
Ebola, spread through direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected person, is not transmitted by people who are not showing symptoms.
Arrival treatment criticized
Hickox's account of her treatment echoed concerns of critics of the mandatory quarantines who say they could discourage Americans from going to help control the epidemic.
Ebola has killed almost half of more than 10,000 people diagnosed with the disease - predominantly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea - although the true toll is far higher, according to the World Health Organization.
Doctors Without Borders has criticized Hickox's treatment.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, asked by reporters about the nurse's complaints, said his first obligation was the safety of the people of New Jersey.
"Inconvenience that could occur from having folks that are symptomatic and ill out amongst the public is a much, much greater concern of mine," he said.
Al Jazeera and wire services
‘Frenzy of disorganization’
"Will they be made to feel like criminals and prisoners?" Hickox wrote in an article published on Saturday by The Dallas Morning News on its website.
"I am scared that, like me, they will arrive and see a frenzy of disorganization, fear and, most frightening, quarantine," wrote Hickox, who had worked with the charity medical organization Doctors Without Borders.
New York and New Jersey imposed 21-day quarantines after a New York City doctor, Craig Spencer, was diagnosed with the disease on Thursday, days after returning home from working with patients in Guinea.
Spencer is currently “entering the next phase” of Ebola, experiencing gastrointestinal complications, local news channel WABC reported on Saturday, citing doctors at Bellevue Hospital, where Spencer had been admitted after developing a fever.
Spencer’s case and the fact he was out and about in the city in the period before his symptoms emerged set off renewed worries in the United States about the spread of the disease.
Illinois will now also require a mandatory quarantine of anyone who has had direct contact with Ebola patients in those countries. The quarantines imposed by the three states exceed current U.S. government guidelines, although the Obama administration is discussing similar measures.
Ebola, spread through direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected person, is not transmitted by people who are not showing symptoms.
Arrival treatment criticized
Hickox's account of her treatment echoed concerns of critics of the mandatory quarantines who say they could discourage Americans from going to help control the epidemic.
Ebola has killed almost half of more than 10,000 people diagnosed with the disease - predominantly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea - although the true toll is far higher, according to the World Health Organization.
Doctors Without Borders has criticized Hickox's treatment.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, asked by reporters about the nurse's complaints, said his first obligation was the safety of the people of New Jersey.
"Inconvenience that could occur from having folks that are symptomatic and ill out amongst the public is a much, much greater concern of mine," he said.
Al Jazeera and wire services
Hickox's account of her treatment echoed concerns expressed by critics of the mandatory quarantines, who say such actions could discourage Americans from going to help control the epidemic.
Ebola is known to have killed almost half of more than 10,000 people diagnosed with it in the latest outbreak — predominantly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea — although the World Health Organization has said the true toll could be far higher.
Christie, asked by reporters about the nurse's complaints, said his first obligation was the safety of the people of his state.
"Inconvenience that could occur from having folks that are symptomatic and ill out amongst the public is a much, much greater concern of mine," he said.
Al Jazeera and wire services
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