CNN "Newsroom" - Transcript: Dallas Ebola Case

Interview

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COSTELLO: This morning in Dallas, health workers are going from door to door searching for anyone who came into contact with the first person diagnosed with Ebola on U.S. soil. Just minutes ago the city of Dallas reported that all three members of the ambulance crew have tested negative. That was the crew that transported the Ebola patient to the Dallas hospital. They're fine so far. And along those lines, the government is reassuring Americans that the overall threat to the public is quite low.

My next guest calls the situation grave though. Michael Burgess is a Republican congressman from Dallas, who has practiced medicine for nearly three decades.

Welcome, Congressman.

REP. MICHAEL BURGESS (R), TEXAS: Thanks, Carol, for having me on.

COSTELLO: Oh, thanks for being here on this very important topic. You were briefed on this case moments after the news broke. How worried are you?

BURGESS: Well, I am worried and I have been for several months. And I will say to the credit of the CDC, they've done a good job of keeping me and my office up to date really since mid-Summer when they sent their first 30 workers over to western Africa. But make no mistake, it is a serious situation. This is the first person who has been diagnosed in this country, but it's -- this person did not actually become infected in this country. And, of course, now the issue that has us all concerned is, will there be a case of someone diagnosed in the United States who actually became infected as a result of patient contact in the United States. That's what's sort of pending at this point.

COSTELLO: Right. This man actually went to the hospital because he was very sick and the hospital -- doctors sent him home with antibiotics. He returned two days later by ambulance and they diagnosed Ebola. That's disturbing, isn't it?

BURGESS: It is troubling and, of course, we don't know the details of the visit and with patient privacy protections it's not likely we'll learn a lot. But, yes, it is concerning and certainly the takeaway for anyone who's practicing ER medicine right now is, boy that travel history in a (INAUDIBLE) patient is extremely important and don't overlook it.

COSTELLO: So officials in Dallas are going door to door now just as a precaution to find out if anyone's been exposed to this man. How difficult a task is that?

BURGESS: Well, it is difficult, but it is something -- I mean this is what public health does. This is -- this is sort of like epidemiology 101, you identify the contacts and then the close contacts of those contacts are also identified. People need to be monitored for any elevations in their temperature. Remember, the incubation period for this virus is from two to 21 days. So that's a pretty long period of time that the people will have to be kept under surveillance. And the key is, if no one in 21 days has shown evidence of the disease, then that's a pretty good sign. But anyone who then does show evidence of having a fever or a fever associated illness is going to have to be under some pretty close scrutiny until it's either confirmed or denied that they have the disease.

COSTELLO: I know that we have patient confidentiality laws, but wouldn't it be easier for authorities if they were able to release this patient's name?

BURGESS: You know, it's -- I share your frustration there. And it would be great to go on the radio in Dallas, Texas, and say, anyone with any contact with this individual, please contact the Dallas County Health Department, and involve yourself in the surveillance that's ongoing. Patient privacy laws are what they are. This is one instance where you might think that the public health interest might trump that.

COSTELLO: But you would not be for naming this man?

BURGESS: You know, look, there's a lot that's going to be learned about this case. This is the first case. I think they're -- you know what, this is -- this is what's key here from -- really from top to bottom. Business as usual may not be -- may not be the order of the day. This is a different sort of threat that we're facing today with Ebola that they have faced for several months in western Africa. It can't be business as usual. There has to be flexibility in federal agencies and federal law, and the protection of the greater public really has to be what's paramount.

COSTELLO: Congressman Michael Burgess, thanks for joining me. I appreciate it.

BURGESS: Thank you.

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