Thank you, Dr. Frieden. This is David Lakey, commissioner of health for the state of Texas.
I appreciate all of the support from the CDC that the CDC has given us. Not only overnight but over the last several weeks as we have been working through this unprecedented event. Our staff have been working throughout the night trying to gather more information and as we get more information as appropriate, we will provide that information.
As Dr. Frieden noted, we have one health care worker, a health care worker that had extensive contact with our initial patient, who did what was appropriate with early symptoms, came in to be checked and we facilitated getting the blood test done. That test came back at 9:30 last night and as Dr. Frieden noted was positive.
The controls were appropriate. The amount of virus in her blood was less than what was there when the first index case came back, but it is a positive test. So our hearts really do go out to this individual and the family. Health care worker who was willing to compa**ionately care for Mr. Duncan. Again, our thoughts and prayers are with them.
We have been preparing for events such as this, put in contingency fines. We are refining those plans and a lot of work is taking place right now. As Dr. Frieden noted, the 48 original contacts continue to be monitored and they continue to do well. We have this one health care worker that now needs our care.
And so as Dr. Frieden noted, we are -- we have been and will continue to monitor health care workers, stepping that up to make sure that any health care worker that has any fever or any other symptoms will be quickly identified as with this individual. Continue to work to make sure the infection control practices that are being performed at the hospital are at the highest standards, and fully evaluating what is under way and figure out exactly what happened that allowed this individual to be infected.
And we brought in more public health officials, public health staff, and epidemiologists to make sure we have the individuals we need to fully evaluate this situation. And again, appreciate the work from the CDC and their support for Texas now as we work through this situation. Thank you.