While a month ago there was non-stop newsflow surrounding any Ebola-case transfer from West Africa to the US, the newly appointed Ebola czar Ron Klain has so far shown a stunning ability to mute media reports of any ongoing developments surrounding the deadly disease. Which is why virtually nobody was aware that on Saturday a surgeon, who contracted Ebola while treating patients in Sierra Leone, Dr. Martin Salia, 44, has been transferred to the Nebraska Medical Center which had previously successfully treated two other Ebola patients this fall. Sadly, this time it failed, and moments ago it was reported that Salia passed away from the deadly disease.
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As CBS reports [3], after "Salia arrived in Omaha, his ambulance to the hospital was accompanied by a single Nebraska State Patrol cruiser and a fire department vehicle - a subdued arrival in contrast to the August delivery of Dr. Rick Sacra, whose ambulance was flanked by numerous police cars, motorcycles and fire vehicles." As expected, because as previously reported, Klain's main priority since ascending to the Ebola throne, has been to hush as much as possible any Ebola-related developments on US soil.
Salia had been working as a general surgeon at Kissy United Methodist Hospital in the Sierra Leone capital of Freetown. It's not clear whether he was involved in the care of Ebola patients. Kissy is not an Ebola treatment unit, but Salia worked in at least three other facilities, United Methodist News said, citing health ministry sources.
What is once again most disturing, is that Salia, a Sierra Leone citizen who lives in Maryland, first showed Ebola symptoms on Nov. 6 but tested negative for the virus. Just like the first Ebola casuality on US soil, he eventually tested positive on Monday only after his symptoms had escalated materially, leading many to wonder just what is the incidence of false negatives when testing for Ebola.
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The U.S. State Department said it helped facilitate the transfer of Salia; the U.S. Embassy in Freetown said he paid for the expensive evacuation. The travel costs and care of other Ebola patients flown to the U.S. have been covered by the groups they worked for in West Africa.
Salia's wife, Isatu Salia, said in a telephone interview that when she spoke to her husband early Friday his voice sounded weak and shaky. But he told her "I love you" in a steady voice, she said.
The two prayed together, and their children, ages 12 and 20, are coping, Isatu Salia said, calling her husband "my everything."
Sierra Leone is one of the three West Africa nations hit hard by an Ebola epidemic this year. Five other doctors in Sierra Leone have contracted Ebola, and all have died.
Our condolences to Salia's family as we now revert to the near-media blackout surrounding any future Ebola cases on US soil, and await imminent (well-paid) studies from Dr. Jonathan Gruber how there is nothing at all to be concerned about regarding Ebola.
