American Doctor Responding To Ebola Treatment; Ebola Epidemic Kills Nearly 900 So Far In West Africa; Exclusive Interview With Dr. Thomas Cairns, Ebola Survivor
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: Next breaking news, Ebola in America. Tonight, an infected American man being treated in Atlanta. Another with Ebola-like symptoms being tested in New York. Plus, an American who survived Ebola, one of the deadliest diseases in the world, is OUTFRONT for an exclusive interview. And Israel and Hamas agreed to another temporary truce. Is there any reason to believe that this one actually will last more than 5 minutes? Let's go OUTFRONT. Good evening, everyone. I'm Erin Burnett. Breaking news, Ebola scare in New York City. Doctors now awaiting the results of test on a man at a major Manhattan hospital to see if he has the deadly virus that can kill up to 90 percent of those it infects. The man was tested after being admitted to the hospital with high fever, gastrointestinal problems. He had recently traveled to a country in West Africa where Ebola has been detected. We have this fast-moving story covered from several angles tonight as it develops. Jason Carroll outside Mount Sinai Hospital here in New York. Dr. Sanjay Gupta outside Emory University Hospital. That's where another American with Ebola is being treated. And a third American with a confirmed case of Ebola will arrive there tomorrow. Our David McKenzie is the only television reporter in Sierra Leone where troops have been deployed to help contain the deadly outbreak and panic there. I want to begin, though, with Jason, with you here in New York City, what's the latest?</s>JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, I think what is important to remember here is that doctors are really acting with an abundance of caution. After this patient came here, was able to walk in and was immediately isolated after doctor learned he had been to this area in west. Here is what is important to know about this. A New York City Health Department official tells CNN that after having conversations with CDC and checking in with doctors here, that spokesperson says that he believes that it is unlikely this this patient has Ebola. Also during press conference just within the past hour, chief medical officer here at Mt. Sinai, with the Mt. Sanai health system says that odds are that the patient does not have Ebola. But the fact that patient was in West Africa, came in with flu-like symptoms, doctors thought it would best to act. He was immediately isolated. In fact, he is still in isolation. Test are being run right now as we speak. It should take anywhere between a day and a day-and-half before we know these test results. Until the test results are in, this patient is being treated as we said with this abundance of caution. He is being isolated -- Erin.</s>BURNETT: Jason, do they have a system in place. They say isolated, but were they really prepared?</s>CARROLL: Absolutely without question. Doctors here, there is a unit here that where doctors are accustom to dealing with patient. They know protocol. They know how to treat patient. Even with rare, a possibility of Ebola, they know the symptoms. If he has a fever they do what they can do bring the fever down. If the patient becomes dehydrated, you do what you can to hydrate the patient. There are a number of doctors here, Erin, who are accustom to dealing with a patient just like this.</s>BURNETT: All right, Jason Carol, thank you very much. I want to go now to Atlanta in Emory University. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is there. Sanjay, you've been watching here. The American doctor with Ebola, he is being treated there. He was brought, of course, from Africa back to the United States with Ebola. How is his condition tonight?</s>DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: We hear things are looking good for him. This is the hospital where the special isolated unit it where Dr. Brantly is. He is the first American to set foot on American soil with Ebola. He had a conversation with his wife yesterday, Erin, 45 minutes. They had to do it through a glass wall for her protection. Through a glass wall and intercom system. It is somewhat culminating with an experimental serum flown to Liberia to try and save him.</s>GUPTA (voice-over): Last Thursday, Dr. Kent Brantly thought he was going to die. It was the 9th day since he came down sick with Ebola. His condition worsening by the minute. He called his wife to say good-bye. But he also knew just hours earlier, a secret highly experimental drug called ZMapp had been delivered to the clinic. The serum was delivered in sub-zero temperatures and with clear instructions allow the vials to thaw naturally before administering. It would be an agonizing eight-hour wait. When it arrived, Brantly told his colleague, Nancy Writebol, who was also sick she should have the first dose. But as Brantly's health deteriorated and he became more desperate, he asked for Writebol's now thawed medication. It was a risk. The treatment had been tried in monkeys and it seemed to work, but never before had it been tried in a human. Not even to test safety. Dr. Kent Brantly would be the first. While doctors don't often use this term, they describe what happened next as miraculous. Within an hour of receiving the medication, Dr. Brantley's condition seemed to make a dramatic turn around. His breathing improved. The rash over his trunk nearly faded away.</s>DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH: I do hope that it was as impressive as being described because if it is, that bodes very well for that particular product.</s>GUPTA: By the next morning, Brantly was able to shower on his own before making the 6,000 mile transport to Atlanta. Saturday afternoon, another first. Watch as Brantly walks off the back of the ambulance. He became the first patient infected with the Ebola virus to ever set foot in the United States or even this part of the world. Tuesday, his colleague, Nancy Writebol, who also received the ZMapp serum will join Brantly at Emory University Hospital. Dr. Bruce Ribner leaves a team now charged with saving their lives. (on camera): This is an air purifying system here. Makes it more comfortable to breathe in and also purifies the air. (voice-over): He gave me an exclusive look at the protective suit he and his team will have to wear every time they enter the room it treat their new patients. Covered from head to toe, his own vital signs will need to be checked twice a day. (on camera): We know the risk is small, but even smaller if the patient did not come here. If you don't have anything magical to provide, why take the risk at all?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think you've been in that part of the world, and you know the level of care that can be delivered. And our feeling is that they deserve the best medical care they can get.</s>GUPTA (voice-over): The best medical care may not be just supportive therapy. It may lie in the experimental serum that likely saved both Brantly and Nancy's lives.</s>GUPTA: I'll tell you, Erin, the science here is just really neat. They are talking about what is known as antibodies. Simply put, they inject animals with the anti-virus. They get the cells that are fighting the virus and that's what makes the medicine. That's what Dr. Brantly received. That is what caused such a dramatic improvement in his overall condition -- Erin.</s>BURNETT: I know it is miraculous, untested, risky, but what about everyone else. Nearly a thousand have died. All of them Africans. Suddenly two white Americans get the disease and suddenly all of the stops get pulled out.</s>GUPTA: Yes, I mean, keep in mind, this has never been done before. He was the first human. I think there is somehow proof of principle and the question becomes, is this something that could become made more available to the masses. This is an unusual situation, Erin. Typically you test things. Test for safety. Test for how effective it is. Then figure out if it can be distributed to the masses. This accelerates things. We know the company who made this secured more funding to do what you are saying. It doesn't happen overnight, but maybe this can help people there, as you say.</s>BURNETT: Sanjay Gupta, thank you very much. Now the organization Nancy was working for in Liberia, Nancy is on route. Back in the United States tomorrow. The second person ever in history with Ebola to be brought on purpose to American soil and to our knowledge, first with Ebola to be on American soil. Bruce, how is she doing?</s>BRUCE JOHNSON, PRESIDENT, SIM USA: I just got a report that he is ready to go on the flight. She is not in the airplane. They will transport her from our mission campus there in Liberia. And get on the plane. And if all goes well, she will be on U.S. soil sometime tomorrow.</s>BURNETT: And do you have any knowledge at this point, we were just looking that incredible footage of Dr. Brantly stepping out of that ambulance in the suit, with Ebola, after that serum appeared to so miraculously save his life. Do you know if it had a similar impact on Nancy?</s>JOHNSON: The reports from our medical doctors there on-site caring for her is that she's in a more weakened condition. However, today has been a good day. Matter of fact, her husband, David, told me that her appetite is returning and she asked for her favorite Liberian meal, potato soup, which is a great sign.</s>BURNETT: That is a great sign. And what about the experimental serum. Do you have any sense, I know she had a chance to talk with er husband, was he able to tell you anything about -- we heard how miraculous with Dr. Brantly, an hour later, the rash disappeared from his torso. He miraculously improved. Do you know if it had a similar impact on her?</s>JOHNSON: Nancy received her second dose today. The indication is that it did not have quite the impact on Nancy as it did Kent. However, the slight improvements that our doctors there have been seeing have been encouraging. They indicated, they said, Nancy might not be in the condition where she is able to walk off of the transport vehicle like Kent did. So don't be surprised by that. This is a -- this disease really can weaken the body and Kent is much younger than Nancy. And so, we're just grateful and very cautiously optimistic about how she's doing right now.</s>BURNETT: And Bruce, you know, everyone is rooting for her and wants her to get better. There is criticism that the United States would choose to bring people, no matter how tragic the situation, back home, that have a disease that can kill so many. What do you say to those who say, this just -- this risk isn't worth it?</s>JOHNSON: You know, I was talking with her husband David yesterday on the phone, and we were talking that Nancy and Kent, if through what they have gone through, as a result that a medicine can be found that will help eradicate Ebola, both of them would say, it is worth it. What we went through. And so, I don't have confirmation on this, but I would imagine that the doctors at Emory Hospital are saying, this is a wonderful opportunity for us to do research were find out how the body has reacted to this, and we're praying that they will be able to find and produce a medicine. Erin, this is something that I -- I think it's important for us to understand in the United States, in Liberia, there are 50 doctors for 4 million people. I just heard that segment about the person in New York going to the hospital earlier this week in Charlotte. We had a similar situation, someone went to our hospital. They said, I've been in Liberia, I'm not feeling well. That exactly what they should do. But this is the difference, we have a tremendous infrastructure in the out. So the likelihood and caution we are taking is exactly what we need to do. I appreciate your reporting and Dr. Gupta to help me and my fellow citizens in America know that this is something that because of our great infrastructure, we can really feel safe.</s>BURNETT: All right, well, Bruce, thank you very much. And a very interesting point Bruce makes, which is if Nancy and Dr. Brantly had not gotten this disease, that serum would not have been tested and hundreds more would have died. So it is interesting to talk about the morality of this, just to think about that. Thank you so much, Bruce. OUTFRONT next, Sierra Leone is the country with the most cases of Ebola. Shut down right now to go in and out, but our David McKenzie is the only television reporter in the country right now. We good to him lift next. And exclusive interview with an American who survived the deadly Ebola virus. What happened? How did he get sick? How did he get it? And the breaking news in the Middle East tonight, Israel and Hamas say they will stop the violence for a brief period of time. Will it hold?