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Watch: Nebraska Medicine, UNMC experts give update on hantavirus passengers in quarantine
KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN STARTS WITH BREAKING NEWS. GOOD MORNING. I’M WAVERLE MONROE. HEALTH EXPERTS, STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS ARE GIVING AN UPDATE ON THE FORMER PASSENGERS OF THE HANTAVIRUS HIT CRUISE SHIP. ALL 18 AMERICANS ARE AT THE NATIONAL QUARANTINE UNIT ON UNMC’S CAMPUS FOR MONITORING. LET’S LISTEN IN LIVE AS AS ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE AS CAN BE. JOINING US TODAY STANDING TO MY RIGHT, OF COURSE, IS NEBRASKA GOVERNOR JIM PILLEN. AND SEATED AT OUR CHAIRS. HERE AS CAPTAIN MICHAEL GARNER FROM THE ADMINISTRATION FOR STRATEGIC PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE, REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR REGIONAL SEVEN AND THE MISSION FIELD OPERATIONS LEAD. FOR US IN THIS PROJECT. MR. PETER CASTLE, ADMINISTRATION FOR STRATEGIC PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE AS THEIR PRESS OFFICER, DOCTOR MICHAEL WADMAN, THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL QUARANTINE UNIT, ASHLEY NEUMEYER, THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEBRASKA DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ALSO IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, WE WELCOME DOCTOR JULIE DAVIS, THE INTERIM CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER, AND DOCTOR MICHAEL ASH, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF NEBRASKA MEDICINE. WE THANK ALL OF YOU FOR ATTENDING. WE HAVE SEVERAL OPENING REMARKS, AND THEN WE’RE GOING TO OPEN IT TO YOU FOR QUESTIONS. AND FIRST, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO TURN THE MICROPHONE OVER TO GOVERNOR JIM. THANK YOU, DOCTOR COHEN. WELL, GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. AND I THINK IT’S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL NEBRASKANS WHAT’S GOING ON. AND I THINK THAT, NUMBER ONE, WE NEVER SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE INCREDIBLE DOCTOR WADMAN AND HIS TEAM AND EVERYBODY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL HAVE THE GIFT OF APPRECIATION. THE. PEOPLE. THIS FACILITY IS INCREDIBLE, BUT THE PEOPLE ARE WHO MAKE IT. AND THEY’RE DOING EXTRAORDINARY, EXTRAORDINARY WORK TO TAKE CARE OF OUR GUESTS AND COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD AND HUMBLE TO SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING. AND ALSO EVERYBODY WITHIN THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND OUR TEAM IN THE COORDINATION AND DAILY ALIGNMENT CALLS TAKING PLACE WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, WITH EVERYBODY HERE AT UNMC AND FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TEAM AND FROM SECRETARY KENNEDY’S TEAM. SO THERE’S DAILY ALIGNMENT CALLS, EXTRAORDINARY WORK AND COMMUNICATION TAKING PLACE. THIS IS DAY 12, DAY 12. AND I THINK THAT WHEN I LOOK IN EVERYBODY’S EYES, IT MIGHT LOOK FEEL LIKE IT’S DAY 30 BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS WORKING EXTRAORDINARILY HARD. HAVE A HAVE INCREDIBLE EMPATHY FOR OUR GUESTS BECAUSE WHO, WHO, WHO DOES NOT WANT TO BE HOME, WHO DOES NOT WANT TO BE HOME AND BE WITH YOUR FAMILIES, BUT OUR TEAM IS DOING EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING TO MAKE THEM COMFORTABLE, EVERYTHING TO HAVE SOME FUN THINGS THAT COME FROM NEBRASKA. BUT WORKING REALLY, REALLY HARD AND CONTINUING TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT’S GOING ON AND HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT TAKES PLACE WITH THE VIRUS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE COMFORTABLE. I THINK THAT THE OTHER THING THAT SOMETIMES WE LOSE TRACK OF THAT HERE IN NEBRASKA, HERE AT THE ONLY QUARANTINE FACILITY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT’S IMPORTANT FOR NEBRASKANS TO KNOW THAT WE ADDED TWO MORE GUESTS SINCE DAY 12, WHO WERE THE TWO GUESTS CAME FROM EMORY. SO WE’RE NOW AT 18. WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 20 ROOMS. 18 OF THE 20 ROOMS ARE FULL. AND I THINK THAT IF YOU IF ANYBODY TALKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EBOLA VIRUS, THERE’S A REASON WHY, WHEN WHEN THIS FACILITY. WHENEVER THE DAY COMES THAT THE GUESTS GO HOME, THIS FACILITY WILL BE WIDE OPEN FOR EBOLA. OBVIOUSLY, SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN GERMANY, WE DON’T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HANDLE MORE THAN WHAT WE’RE DOING. I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT ALL OF US, RIGHT, ALL OF US, ARE CREATURES OF HABIT AND COMFORT. AND I THINK THAT I JUST CAN’T APPLAUD EVERYBODY FOR DOING EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO MAKE OUR GUESTS COMFORTABLE AND ENJOY. I KNOW FROM MY SEAT, I WANT TO GET TO THE GUESTS SOME REALLY GOOD PIECES OF PORK TENDERLOIN. AS LONG AS DOCTOR WADMAN I CAN GET THE CHEFS TO COOK IT CORRECTLY. I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE GOOD. I THINK THAT THE OTHER THAT I WANTED TO SHARE IS, IS THAT WE’VE HAD SEVERAL DIFFERENT CALLS WITH OTHER THE STATES AND OTHER GOVERNORS. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE’S GOVERNORS THAT ARE VERY GRATEFUL THAT NEBRASKANS RUN TO SOLVING PROBLEMS AND THAT THAT THEY’RE RESIDENTS ARE HERE IN THE SAFEST PLACE. SO I’M REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THAT. AND I THINK THAT. IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT IN OUR DAILY ALIGNMENT CALLS EVERYBODY FROM OUR OFFICE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER TEAM, TO OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS HERE, WE’RE 100% IN LOCKSTEP WITH MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE STAY HERE UNTIL THE APPROPRIATE TIME. SO THOSE ARE THINGS I THINK THAT ARE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THAT WE TALK ABOUT TODAY AND THAT WE WE PASS ON. AND AGAIN, I JUST SIMPLY WANT TO SAY THAT IT’S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE CARE OF OUR GUESTS, THAT WE CONTINUE TO EDUCATE AND CONTINUE TO UPDATE. AND I THINK THAT LASTLY, I THINK THAT WHEN THE GUESTS REALIZE THAT A PERSON THAT THEY FLEW WITH AND WERE WITH AND THAT LIVES NORTH OF NORTH OF US IN CANADA SHOWED CLINICAL SIGNS SINCE THEY’VE BEEN HERE, I THINK THAT HELPS ALL OF OUR PASSENGERS UNDERSTAND, GEE WHIZ, THIS VIRUS IS INTERESTING. THIS VIRUS ISN’T QUITE WHAT I UNDERSTOOD INITIALLY, AND THAT IT CAN HARBOR AND TAKE TIME TO TO INCUBATE AND SHOW SIGNS. SO AGAIN, I’M JUST INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYBODY’S WORK. I’M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR OUR, OUR MEDICAL TEAM AND OUR HEALTH DIRECTOR AND ALL THE WORK THAT EVERYBODY’S DOING. IT’S, IT’S THE NEBRASKA WAY. EVERYBODY ROLLS THEIR SLEEVES, THEY RUN TO THE POINT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, NOT AWAY, AND NOBODY SHIRKS FROM IT. SO COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OF EVERYBODY AND ALL THEIR WORK. DOCTOR GOLD. WELL, THANK YOU, GOVERNOR. AND NOW IT’S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE DOCTOR MICHAEL WADMAN, WHO’S THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL QUARANTINE UNIT. MICHAEL, DO YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF OUR GUESTS? THANK YOU, DOCTOR COLTON. I’M HAPPY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING TO REPORT THAT EVERYONE IN THE UNIT IS DOING WELL. AND THERE’S BEEN NO CONCERNING SYMPTOMS REPORTED BY ANYONE. OUR TEAM, OUR NURSES AND TECHS CONTINUE TO DO TWICE DAILY SYMPTOM CHECKS, TWICE DAILY FEVER CHECKS, TEMPERATURE CHECKS. AND THAT IS GOING VERY SMOOTHLY. OUR PHYSICIANS ON THE TEAM ARE REVIEWING THAT DATA DAILY AND MEETING WITH WITH OUR GUESTS, EITHER INDIVIDUALLY OR IN A TOWN HALL FORMAT, TO DISCUSS ANY ISSUES THAT COME UP DURING THE DAY, AND ALSO JUST TO GIVE THEM AN EXPECTATION OF WHAT EACH DAY WILL BRING SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE SOME PREDICTABILITY TO, TO THEIR STAY WITH US. EVERYONE HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE WITH THE PROCESS, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE QUARANTINE UNIT OPERATIONS, WE DO HAVE A REALLY GREAT TEAM, VERY PROUD OF THEM. THEY ARE PHYSICIANS, NURSES AND TECHS. THEY COME FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF THE HOSPITAL, RANGING FROM THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT TO CRITICAL CARE AREAS TO INFECTIOUS DISEASE CLINICS. ALL OF THEM ARE VERY EXPERIENCED. ALL OF THEM UNDERGO QUARTERLY TRAINING WITH WITH OUR TEAM, WE TRAIN IN VARIOUS LEVELS OF PPE. WE TRAIN WITH VARIOUS CLINICAL SCENARIOS. SO WHEN WE ACTIVATE, THERE’S LITTLE THAT WE ARE. IT’S UNEXPECTED. IT CAN RANGE FROM JUST DAILY DELIVERING MEALS OR WASTE MANAGEMENT TO A PERSON NEEDING TRANSFER FROM NQ TO THE HOSPITAL AND TO THE BIOCONTAINMENT UNIT. SO WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF DRILLS THAT PREPARE US FOR ANY OF THOSE, ANY OF THOSE EVENTUALITIES. WE’VE GOT A LOT OF VERY EXPERIENCED FOLKS ON OUR TEAM, SOME WITH OVER A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE ON OUR TEAM. SOME ARE VETERANS OF EBOLA AND COVID ACTIVATIONS FOR THE NQ. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOT DONE ACTIVELY, AND ONE CAME UP JUST OVER THE WEEKEND. WE DO TRAINING FOR ALL OF THESE, ALL THESE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS, BUT WE HAD NEVER HAD AN ACTUAL TORNADO WARNING WHEN WE HAD FOLKS IN THE NQ. SO WE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY OVER THE WEEKEND. AND I CAN SAY THAT WE APPROACHED IT. IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS ALMOST ROUTINE BECAUSE OF THE TRAINING THAT OUR PERSONNEL HAD. OUR GUESTS ARE NOT FROM NEBRASKA. THEY ARE NOT REALLY FROM NOT MANY FROM THE MIDWEST. SO THAT WAS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE FOR FOR MOST OF THEM, IT WAS ALL DONE VERY ORDERLY AND ORDERLY FASHION. WE EVACUATED THE THE ROOMS THAT WERE OUTWARD FACING AND WENT TO AN INNER AREA OF THE UNIT WITH APPROPRIATE PPE, APPROPRIATE SPACING, AND USING THE PROTOCOLS THAT WE HAD DRILLED ON. IT ALL WENT VERY WELL. AND THEN I THINK SOME OF THE GUESTS FELT STRETCHING THEIR LEGS. A LITTLE CHANGE IN SCENERY WAS WAS A POSITIVE THING. AND ONE EVEN JOKINGLY ASKED IF WE COULD HAVE WEEKLY TORNADOES SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE. I TOLD HER THAT THIS IS NEBRASKA, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER KNOW. BUT IT WAS, I THINK, A VERY, VERY HUMBLING TO SEE OUR TEAM PERFORM IN THAT WAY. WE DO HAVE PREPARATION, WE DO HAVE PPE, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WE DO TO PREPARE FOR, FOR THESE ACTIVATIONS. BUT I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON, ON THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE AND KNOWING OUR TEAM KNOWS WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE IN QUARANTINE. SO WE REALLY WANT THAT FEEDBACK FROM THESE INDIVIDUALS TO TELL US WHAT THEY NEED TO MAKE THE STAY AS COMFORTABLE AS WE CAN. WE KNOW, YOU KNOW THAT IT’S NOT NOT PERFECT FOR THEM TO BE HERE. SO WE WANT TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP THEM TO ADJUST TO THIS, TO THE NEW ENVIRONMENT THAT WE HAVE IN THE UNIT. SO WE DO SPEAK WITH THEM OFTEN ABOUT THESE THINGS. WE’VE ENCOURAGED THEM TO BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE AND MENTALLY ACTIVE, TO CONTINUE THOSE ACTIVITIES THAT CLOSE TO THE LEVEL THAT THEY EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY’RE NOT HERE. SO WE HAVE BEEN SEEING USE OF THE TREADMILLS AND THE STATIONARY BICYCLES, THE ELLIPTICALS IN THE ROOMS. WE’VE HAD ONE SESSION WITH SOME TRAINING ON TAI CHI, SO YOU CAN HAVE SOME EXERCISE WITHIN THAT SMALL SPACE. SOME OF THE FOLKS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THAT. WE HAVE SOME OTHER PLANNED EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THAT THEY CAN ENGAGE IN, PLANNED. THEY HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT NEBRASKA. THEY’RE VERY INTERESTED IN THE STATE. WE’VE HAD ONE PRESENTATION ON FOSSILIZED MAMMOTHS PRESENTED YESTERDAY THAT WAS REALLY VERY MUCH ENJOYED BY ALL. I THINK WE HAVE SOME PLANNED SESSIONS ON NEBRASKA GRASSLAND BIRDS AND AND THE SANDHILL CRANE MIGRATIONS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GROUP THAT’S VERY ACTIVE AND VERY INTERESTED IN NATURE FOR THE MOST PART. AND SO THERE’S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THAT. AND SOME THAT HAVE SAID THEY’LL RETURN AT SOME POINT AND EXPERIENCE THE SANDHILL CRANE MIGRATION IN PERSON. FOOD’S A GOOD THING. AND SO GOOD FOOD IS IMPORTANT AND SOME VARIETY. SO WE’VE HAD A GOOD RESPONSE FROM THE COMMUNITY. WE’VE HAD PATTY MCGOWAN’S BOMB TACO FOOD TRUCKS, AND THAT WAS A BIG HIT FOR FOR EVERYONE IN THE UNIT, INCLUDING THE STAFF. AND WE DO HAVE PLANS GOING FORWARD FOR SOME OMAHA STEAKS SOMETIME NEXT WEEK, I HEAR, WHICH EVERYONE’S LOOKING FORWARD TO, AND PERHAPS EVEN RUNZA COMING UP, WHICH I HAD INFORMATION THAT THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE MIGHT BE HAVE A HAND IN THAT. SO HOPEFULLY THAT THAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. I’VE TOLD THEM ALL THAT THE BEST RUNS IS THE ONE YOU CATCH IN MEMORIAL STADIUM ON A ON A SATURDAY IN NOVEMBER. BUT THAT ONE FROM THE GOVERNOR WOULD PROBABLY BE A CLOSE SECOND. ONE LAST TIME. JUST LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR TEAM. THEY’RE REALLY WHAT MAKES THIS WORK. THANK OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, OUR STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS, AND ESPECIALLY THE FOLKS WITHIN THE UNIT WHO ARE HERE WITH US FOR HELPING US GET THROUGH THE ADJUSTMENT. WE’RE NOW GETTING INTO A ROUTINE, AND I THINK EVERYTHING’S GOING VERY SMOOTHLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR WADMAN. I TOO JUST WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO THANK OUR VERY SPECIAL STAFF. THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THEY ARE THE MOST COMPETENT AND CAPABLE AND WELL-TRAINED. AND THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE ARE HOSTING THESE GUESTS IN IS TRULY THE SAFEST AND MOST EXPERIENCED. AND THERE’S ALSO NO QUESTION THAT, WERE THEY TO HEAVEN FORBID, BECOME ILL, THE CAPABILITIES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BIOCONTAINMENT FACILITIES, THE RESOURCES, THE STAFFING IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. BUT WITH THAT CONFIDENCE AND COMPETENCE ALSO COMES A HEALTHY DEGREE OF COURAGE. YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES FOR OUR STAFF TO BE WILLING TO INTERACT WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO POTENTIALLY ARE INFECTED AT SOME TIME WITH A VIRUS, WHETHER IT WAS EBOLA OR IN THE EARLY DAYS OF COVID OR TODAY, FOR WHICH THERE IS NO IDENTIFIED CURE. AND YET KNOWING THAT THEY’RE REACHING OUT TO HELP OTHERS TO PERFORM WHAT WE CALL SERIOUS MEDICINE AND EXTRAORDINARY CARE. THIS IS A UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCE. WE UNDERSTAND THE STRESS OF ALL OF THESE INDIVIDUALS. BUT THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT IN THEIR OWN PERSONAL INTEREST AND IN THE INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH OF OUR NATION AND OUR COMMUNITY, THAT THIS IS THE SAFEST AND BEST PLACE THAT WILL BE. SO BEFORE WE TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS, I KNOW THE GOVERNOR HAS A FEW CLOSING REMARKS, AND THEN WE’D BE VERY ANXIOUS TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS, GOVERNOR. THANK YOU. WELL, I CAN STAND HERE WITH 100% DEGREE OF CERTAINTY THAT OUR GUESTS ARE GETTING IT. LIKE ALL OF US IN NEBRASKA, IT’S THE PEOPLE AND THEY’RE LEARNING EVERY DAY, FALLING IN LOVE WITH NEBRASKA, EVEN THOUGH IT’S NOT QUITE THE CIRCUMSTANCE THEY WOULD HOPE BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE AND THE EXTRAORDINARY CARE AND THE GRACE THAT’S BEING GIVEN EVERY DAY. SO I JUST SIMPLY WANT TO SAY A GIGANTIC THANK YOU TO DOCTOR WADMAN AND EVERYBODY HERE AT UNMC, BECAUSE IT’S THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE INCREDIBLE DIFFERENCE, NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ASSURE NEBRASKANS THAT WHENEVER EVERYBODY GOES HOME, IT WILL BE DONE IN A SECURE WAY. AND NOBODY IN NEBRASKA HAS TO WORRY ABOUT THE VIRUS GOING ANY, ANY PLACE ELSE, BECAUSE IT WILL BE DONE. AS YOU JUST HEARD, DOCTOR WADMAN TALK ABOUT THE THE EXPERIENCE WITH THE TORNADO WARNING AND MOST LIKELY THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER ONE. SO THEY MIGHT GET A. HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE IN ANOTHER DAY OR TWO. AND THEN LASTLY, THIS. THIS PROCESS IS, AS DOCTOR GOLD TOUCHED ON BRIEFLY, BUT IT IS A TOTAL PARTNERSHIP ALL THE WAY FROM ALL OF OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, FROM OUR STATE PARTNERS, LOCAL PARTNERS, AND EVERYBODY HERE AT THE MEDICAL CENTER. AND EVERYBODY IS WORKING ON ALIGNMENT AND COMMUNICATION ON A DAILY BASIS. AND I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD, COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD TO BE THE GOVERNOR OF NEBRASKA, COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OF OUR FELLOW NEBRASKANS. SO GIGANTIC. THANK YOU TO ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GOVERNOR. AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE’RE MORE THAN PLEASED TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS TO ADDRESS OUR SUBJECT CONTENT EXPERTS HERE. YEAH. WHY DON’T WE START? I’M NOT SURE WHO’S APPROPRIATE, BUT. OH, OKAY. COULD YOU ADDRESS IDENTIFY YOURSELF? SORRY. JULIE ANDERSON, THE OMAHA WORLD HERALD. CAN YOU ADDRESS HOW MANY OTHER STATES WE KNOW? WE HAVE 18 HERE. INITIALLY, THERE WERE 41 FOLKS THAT WERE BEING MONITORED BETWEEN HERE AND OTHER PLACES. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY ARE STILL UNDER MONITORING IN OTHER STATES? AND ALSO, CAN YOU ADDRESS THE QUESTION OF THE FOLKS WHO. HAVE RECEIVED QUARANTINE ORDERS AND HAVE ASKED TO GO HOME? WHY ARE THEY NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT IF OTHER PEOPLE ARE MONITORED, BEING MONITORED AT HOME? SO I’M THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND FOR THE ADMINISTRATION FOR STRATEGIC PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE. WE CAN CONFIRM THAT THOSE TWO PEOPLE DID RECEIVE QUARANTINE ORDERS. I WOULD REFER YOU TO CDC ON THE MONITORING OF THE OTHER PATIENTS. I WOULD REACH OUT TO MEDIA@CDC.GOV, AND SOMEONE WILL BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO YOU. IS YVONNE FERRER, JUUL KETV. THE GOVERNOR MENTIONED ONCE THE HANTAVIRUS QUARANTINE IS OVER, IT WILL BE OPEN FOR EBOLA. ARE THERE DISCUSSIONS BEING HAPPENING RIGHT NOW REGARDING PATIENTS COMING HERE TO THE BIOCONTAINMENT UNIT, THE QUARANTINE UNIT, SIMILAR TO HOW THEY DID TEN YEARS AGO? I THINK THAT’S ALSO FOR ME AT THE MOMENT. ASPR WORKS WITH OUR NATIONAL SPECIAL PATHOGEN SYSTEM PARTNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THERE ARE 13 RESPECTS THAT ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE PATIENTS. THERE IS NO. CURRENT NEED FOR THAT. IT SHOULD THAT CHANGE, WE WORK WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT, ESPECIALLY UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS SPACE FOR THOSE PEOPLE. OTHER QUESTIONS. I JUST JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE CAN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THIS PERIOD WITH THE, WITH OUR, CURRENT COHORT HERE, THAT WE’LL BE READY TO RESPOND TO WHATEVER REQUEST COMES IN THAT OUR EXPERTS AT THE DAVIS GLOBAL CENTER ARE CONTRIBUTING GLOBALLY TO, TO THOSE EFFORTS THROUGH EXPERTISE AND THROUGH ADVISING. THANK YOU. HI, JOSH FUNK WITH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR APPROACH AND PLAN FOR THE LENGTH OF THE QUARANTINE, AND AT WHAT POINT YOU’LL LOOK AT DECIDING WHEN TO SEND PEOPLE HOME AND THE MONITORING PLAN THERE? I KNOW INCUBATION PERIOD WISE, THIS VIRUS, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DEVELOP ILLNESS AROUND LIKE 18 OR 20 DAYS. AND IT’S LIKE, AT WHAT POINT, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE, ARE YOU LOOKING AT CONSIDERING SENDING PEOPLE HOME AND WHAT’S THE PLAN GOING FORWARD? THE TIMELINE FOR QUARANTINE IS SET BY THE CDC. AND SO WE’RE RESPONDING TO THAT. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT TIMELINE IS FROM HERE? IS THERE A POINT COMING UP LIKE AT THE END OF THE MONTH, WILL YOU BE LOOKING AT CONSIDERING SENDING PEOPLE HOME AROUND LIKE 21 DAYS OR I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE DECISION POINTS AHEAD? YES, THIS IS CAPTAIN GARDNER. I’M THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR REGION SEVEN, KANSAS CITY WITH ASPR. AND JUST FOR YOU, I’LL GET TO YOUR QUESTION. BUT JUST BEFORE I ANSWER THAT, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I’M PART OF THE PART OF THE PROGRAM THAT DEALS WITH PUBLIC HEALTH AND MEDICAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE. AND, AND SO SOME OF THE COMMAND AND CONTROL OF, OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE. WE HAVE TEN REGIONS ACROSS THE NATION WHERE OUR REGIONAL EMERGENCY COORDINATORS AND REGIONAL ADMINISTRATORS INTERFACE WITH PARTNERS LIKE. UNMC AND OUR INTERAGENCY FEDERAL TEAM. AND SO THAT’S, THAT’S REALLY THE JOB THAT I HAVE HERE AS THE OPERATIONS LEAD IS MANAGING THE TEAM OF ASPR PERSONNEL THAT WE HAVE ON THE GROUND, DEALING WITH THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE GUEST AND SERVING AS THAT COORDINATION PIECE WITH THE FEDERAL PARTNERS. AND AND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I DO THINK THAT WE’RE WE’RE POISED AND READY TO WORK WITH CDC. IN Q2. ONCE THE CLINICIANS AND THE EXPERTS LET US KNOW WHEN THAT TIME FRAME IS UP TO ACTUALLY RETURN THESE FOLKS TO THEIR HOME OF RECORD. AND SO THAT’S, THAT’S OUR PIECE OF THIS PUZZLE IS WAITING FOR THAT EXPERT CONSULTATION, THEN TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STAGE. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DON’T KNOW FOR SURE YET WHEN, WHEN THAT MIGHT HAPPEN. THERE ARE THERE ARE SOME THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING ON. WE’RE OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD LOVE FOR EVERYONE TO STAY THE 42 DAYS, BUT THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS ON WHETHER OR NOT FOLKS WILL BE LEAVING PRIOR TO THAT. BUT AGAIN, THAT IS IN CDC LANE AND NOT MY LANE. AND I CAN’T ANSWER THE QUESTION. I THINK THAT NO ONE WANTS TO GIVE YOU A, YOU KNOW, ONE ANSWER AND HAVE THAT NOT BE CORRECT FOR FOR, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HERE. BUT BUT EACH OF THEM ARE BEING EVALUATED. AND WE’LL HAVE A PLAN THAT’S TAILORED TO, TO WHAT THE CDC DECIDES FOR EACH. I KNOW WE’VE SEEN A COUPLE NEW CASES, INCLUDING ONE IN THE NETHERLANDS. DOES THAT AFFECT YOUR THINKING? SEEING THESE NEW CASES POP UP AS YOU APPROACH THOSE DECISION POINTS? OF COURSE IT DOES. YOU KNOW, ANY ANY CASE, ANY SYMPTOMS, ANY POSITIVE TEST ANYWHERE GIVES US MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BIOLOGY OF THIS VIRAL ILLNESS. AND IT AS YOU KNOW, ANY GOOD SCIENTIFIC APPROACH WOULD BE IT INFLUENCES OUR DECISION MAKING. ANYTHING ELSE? YES, SIR. I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT ALL THE PASSENGERS HERE BEING COOPERATIVE AND ENCOURAGING, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE SAW THE ORDER EARLIER THIS WEEK TOWARDS TWO OF THEM, DIRECTING THEM TO STAY PUT AND FINISH QUARANTINE HERE. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? ARE SOME OF THE PASSENGERS PUSHING TO HEAD HOME? DO YOU ANTICIPATE ADDITIONAL ORDERS BEING NEEDED? YOU KNOW, HOW IS THAT GOING WITH THE PASSENGERS AS FAR AS THEIR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO STAY HERE? WELL, I THINK THERE’S MANY THAT WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BE HOME. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, ARE EITHER ELECTING TO STAY HERE FOR THE FULL, YOU KNOW, FULL PERIOD OR, OR WANTING TO GO HOME EARLIER. AND I THINK EACH OF THOSE WILL BE EVALUATED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. AND ACCORDING TO WHAT IS DECIDED BY THE CDC, THERE’S POTENTIAL THAT SOME MAY LEAVE BEFORE THE 42 DAYS. BUT I A BLANKET STATEMENT AS FAR AS DURATION WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO MAKE. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CRITERIA YOU LOOK AT AS YOU EVALUATE EACH CASE INDIVIDUALLY? WHAT’S GOING TO HELP YOU DECIDE WHO’S READY TO GO HOME? I’M NOT THE DECIDER ON THAT. SO I’D HAVE TO DEFER TO CDC. ANYTHING ELSE FOLKS? WELL, IF NOT, I’D CERTAINLY LIKE TO THANK THE INDIVIDUALS WHO GATHERED TODAY. I’D LIKE TO REALLY EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION TO THE MEDIA FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO SHARE THIS MESSAGE OF CONFIDENCE AND COMPETENCE. AND ON THAT NOTE, I THINK WE ARE ADJOURNED. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. THANKS, JEFF. THANKS FOR THE WORK. I MAY CALL YOU ABOUT THAT. NEBRASKA MADISON DO. ALL RIGHT. FOR THOSE OF YOU JUST TUNING IN, WE JUST GOT AN UPDATE ON THE HANTAVIRUS QUARANTINE THAT IS HAPPENING HERE AT UNMC NEBRASKA MEDICINE. WE HEARD FROM DOCTOR JEFFREY GOLD, ALONG WITH GOVERNOR AND SEVERAL REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE HANDLING THIS CASE. AND THESE PASSENGERS THAT WERE ON THE DAIS. SO WHAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM GOVERNOR PILLEN, HE IS PRAISING THE EXTRAORDINARY WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING HERE AND THE COLLABORATION THAT IS HAPPENING BETWEEN BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES. HE DID SAY THAT AFTER THE HANTAVIRUS QUARANTINE IS OVER, THEY WILL BE EVALUATING AND WILL BE WIDE OPEN TO ASSIST WITH EBOLA. AFTER THAT. THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN DISCUSSION, BUT THE SERVICES ARE NOT NEEDED RIGHT NOW. BUT DAVIS GLOBAL IS CONSULTING ON THESE BREAKOUT IN AFRICA. DOCTOR MICHAEL WADMAN, THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL QUARANTINE UNIT, HAS SAID THAT ALL OF THE PASSENGERS OF THE MV HONDIUS THAT ARE IN THE QUARANTINE UNIT ARE CURRENTLY DOING WELL. THEY’RE LEARNING ABOUT NEBRASKA, THEY’RE EXERCISING. THEY EXPERIENCE THEIR FIRST TORNADO WARNING THIS WEEKEND. HE SAID THAT THE STAFF HERE MANAGED EVERYTHING WELL. PATIENTS WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM WINDOWS, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND LEARNED QUITE A BIT ABOUT NEBRASKA, WHETHER OTHER THAN THAT, CURRENTLY PATIENTS ARE STAYING HERE. THEY ARE ASKING THOUGH, YOU KNOW, WHEN CAN WE GO HOME? WHEN CAN WE SEE OUR FAMILIES AGAIN? THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES RIGHT NOW, THE THE QUARANTINE DEADLINES, THINGS AMONG THOSE, THE CDC RECOMMENDS 42 DAYS. SOME PATIENTS ARE LOOKING AT LEAVING. PRIOR TO THAT, GOVERNOR PALIN HAS SAID THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO WORRIES ABOUT THE VIRUS SPREAD HERE IN NEBRASKA DURING DEPARTURE. BUT THOSE QUESTIONS ARE STILL KIND OF UP IN THE AIR. WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE YOU AS WE LEARN MORE. FOR NOW, I WILL GIVE YOU MORE AT NOON, SO BE SURE TO TURN INTO
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Watch: Nebraska Medicine, UNMC experts give update on hantavirus passengers in quarantine
Experts from Nebraska Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center were joined by Gov. Jim Pillen and other officials to provide an update on the cruise ship passengers exposed to the hantavirus.The passengers have been in quarantine in Omaha for 11 days after arriving on May 11.Officials said 18 people remain at the National Quarantine Unit at UNMC for monitoring.The passengers are receiving twice daily symptom and temperature checks.Earlier this week, the CDC confirmed the passengers have been requested to remain at the quarantine facility through at least May 31.READ MORE: CDC orders cruise ship passengers exposed to hantavirus to stay in Omaha through May 31Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
Experts from Nebraska Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center were joined by Gov. Jim Pillen and other officials to provide an update on the cruise ship passengers exposed to the hantavirus.
The passengers have been in quarantine in Omaha for 11 days after arriving on May 11.
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Officials said 18 people remain at the National Quarantine Unit at UNMC for monitoring.
The passengers are receiving twice daily symptom and temperature checks.
Earlier this week, the CDC confirmed the passengers have been requested to remain at the quarantine facility through at least May 31.
READ MORE: CDC orders cruise ship passengers exposed to hantavirus to stay in Omaha through May 31
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
