Ebola Virus Seen as No Peril to Humans
The Ebola virus that struck two monkeys at a research center in Texas is not the same strain that killed hundreds of people in Africa and poses virtually no threat to humans, health officials said Tuesday.
“Nobody’s sick. There’s not a big outbreak of something,” said Dr. Pierre Rollin, chief of the special pathogens branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Rollin, an Ebola expert who has studied the deadly strain Ebola Zaire, acknowledged human infection was possible but has never occurred with the strain diagnosed at the Texas Primate Center.
The virus killed one monkey and led authorities to put another monkey to death at the breeding center, which provides primates to researchers around the world. An additional 98 monkeys, part of a shipment that arrived March 21 from the Philippines, remained quarantined and were being tested.
Eight people were exposed to Ebola at the Texas center. All were wearing protective gear, such as masks and gloves, and reported no cuts or scratches.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
