Dallas officials are trying to locate Michael Lively, a homeless man who may have been exposed to the Ebola virus.
Credit - Dallas Police Department
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A search for the Dallas homeless man who rode in the same ambulance right after Ebola-infected patient Thomas Duncan (r.) finally turned up Michael Lively (l.), who was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital’s psychiatric ward by police on Sunday afternoon.
Dallas authorities have located a homeless man who might have had indirect contact with Ebola patient Thomas Duncan, city officials said Sunday.
Michael Lively, 52, who is considered low risk, reportedly rode in the ambulance after Duncan, according to The Dallas Morning News.
The announcement comes a few hours after Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the man was missing.
Lively was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital’s psychiatric ward by police on Sunday afternoon and later moved from the hospital to an undisclosed location for isolation, hospital spokesman Mike Malaise said. The ambulance has since been decontaminated.
Police obtained a protective order for Lively similar to those for Duncan’ family members earlier in the week, reported NBCDFW.
Authorities will reportedly be able to hold Lively – against his will if necessary – until they are absolutely positive he poses no threat to anyone else.
Earlier Sunday, Jenkins explained that the man did not show symptoms of the deadly virus but officials would like to keep an eye on him during the full incubation period as a precaution.
Duncan is the first person to test positive for Ebola while in the U.S. He is now in critical condition at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital.
His situation has “taken a turn for the worse” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Tom Frieden said. No other information was given.
The 42-year-old contracted the virus while in Liberia and developed symptoms four days after arriving in Texas.
Officials have identified 10 “high risk” people who were likely in direct contact with Duncan, including seven health care workers and three family or community members.
There are 38 others who may have been around Duncan when he was showing symptoms of the virus, Frieden said.
So far, no members of either group have developed Ebola symptoms.
Frieden said on ABC News’ “This Week” that he is still “quite confident” there will not be a widespread Ebola outbreak in the United States.
“We will stop it in its tracks, because we've got infection control in hospitals and public health that tracks and isolates people if they get symptoms,” he said.
The deadly Ebola virus has killed more than 3,400 people in West Africa since early 2014.
With Jason Molinet and News Wire Services
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