On 15 October, nurse Amber Vinson was the identified as the second employee of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital to test positive for the Ebola virus. Both Vinson and Nina Pham were exposed to patient Thomas Eric Duncan, who died on 8 October at that facility.
Initial reports on 14 October 2014 stated Vinson was tested and isolated rapidly after she reported a fever. Later that day, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed Vinson was a passenger on Frontier Airlines Flight 1143 one day before she fell ill.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer paraphrased CDC director Thomas Friedan's remarks from a conference call on 14 October. The paper said Friedan stated Vinson should not have traveled after being exposed to Duncan:
Friedan confirmed all 132 passengers on Frontier Airlines Flight 1143 would be contacted as a preventive measure. The CDC director stated all passengers are at a low risk of contracting Ebola:
While aboard the 13 October flight Vinson had a low-grade fever of 99 degrees but was otherwise asymptomatic. Friedan stated Vinson, who had "extensive contact" with Duncan before his death, "should not have traveled on a commercial airline." Later that day, Fox 4 News reported the CDC cleared Vinson to fly with a low-grade fever:
On 14 October, The Dallas Morning Newsreported full protocols for Ebola infection were not observed for the first two days of Duncan's hospitalization, and implemented only when the patient tested positive for the virus on 30 September.
