[scouter]

City health officials were suddenly faced with the challenge of finding the right balance between trying to find everyone who might have been exposed and responding to a disease that is transmitted only through direct exposure to bodily fluids.

I wonder several things:

1. How long will it be before the first case appears where the patient denies any contact with a known Ebola patient?
   
2. In what kind of a facility will that happen? A doctor's office? A "minute clinic" in a Wal-Mart or a pharmacy? A doc-in-the-box? An emergency department?
   
3. When that happens, how long will it be before they realize the patient has Ebola?
   
4. By the time they realize the patient has Ebola, how many people will have been exposed, including doctors, nurses, techs, clerks, EMTs, police, neighbors, friends, family, teachers, fellow commuters on the subway, etc.?
   
5. When it happens, will it be reported?
   
6. If it's reported, how will they explain it?

[ElenaM]

I'm with ya.

5. When it happens, will it be reported?

That cat is out of the bag. Communications being what they are (Facebook, Twitter, email, etc.) the authorities can no longer squash anything they don't want to be public. Sooner or later it will come out.

6. If it's reported, how will they explain it?

Dunno. Perhaps they'll blame the virus for failing to follow protocol. ;)

[kinsman redeemer]

Great Questions!