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A Texas Health Care Worker Self-Quarantines After Returning From Sierra Leone

Bombaert Patrick
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A Texas nurse has agreed to self-quarantine at home after she returned from Sierra Leone earlier today. The nurse, who has not been identified, was working with Ebola patients in the West African country.

According to a statement by Governor Rick Perry’s office, she met with Texas Health Commissioner Dr. David Lakey when she arrived at Austin-Bergstrom Airport. Although she doesn’t show symptoms of the Ebola virus, she still agreed to self-quarantine and undergo twice-daily monitoring by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

On the other hand, another nurse who treated Ebola patients in West Africa has been fighting a mandatory quarantine rule in New Jersey and Maine.

Kaci Hickox was the first person forced into New Jersey’s mandatory quarantine after arriving at the airport over the weekend. She has so far abided by the quarantine in Maine where she lives, but Hickox told NBC’s “Today” show that she plans to fight it.

Governor Paul LePage told the Associated Press he is working with health officials to seek legal authority to enforce that quarantine. Meanwhile, state police are monitoring Hickox’s home.  

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Former KERA staffer Krystina Martinez was an assistant producer. She produced local content for Morning Edition and KERANews.org. She also produced The Friday Conversation, a weekly series of conversations with North Texas newsmakers. Krystina was also the backup newscaster for the Texas Standard.