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[UPDATE] The Dallas Morning News is reporting that Bentley, Nina Pham's dog, has tested negative for Ebola. The dog will continue to be monitored for the full 21-day period, the same as the human guidelines for those exposed to Ebola. Ā Read the original story below.
Texas nurseĀ Nina PhamĀ isĀ the first person to contract EbolaĀ within the U.S. She's currently being treated at a Dallas hospital ā but what will happen to her pet dog?
It was the same question raisedĀ in response toĀ aĀ nurse whoĀ contracted EbolaĀ in Spain. The Madrid later government made the decisionĀ to have the woman's dog euthanized, over fears it could be aĀ carrier of the virus.
ButĀ it seems Pham's dog will avoidĀ that same fate. Dallas Mayor Mike RawlingsĀ told USA TodayĀ the dog will be kept safe and quarantinedĀ in another location while Pham is treated. Her apartment is also being decontaminated.
TheĀ Dallas Police DepartmentĀ has even been keeping the public updated on the dog during this process.
ButĀ why is thereĀ so much attention on a furry friend? Some media outlets note what happened inĀ Spain versus the States highlights what experts don't know.
The reality is āĀ there's not a lot of information aboutĀ the risk ofĀ Ebola in animalsĀ orĀ whether humans can even become infected by domesticated pets.
Here's what we do know āĀ The Washington PostĀ points outĀ EbolaĀ canĀ spread to humans by way of other mammals. One possible way is by eating infected meat.Ā But it's still unclear whether dogs transmit Ebola throughĀ bodily fluids in the same way humans do.
A medical expertĀ tells CNNĀ this shouldn't worry anyone.Ā "Pets have not been a feature of Ebola spread, whether in Africa and certainly not here in the developed world."
According to theĀ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been no reported Ebola sicknesses in dogs or cats so far. Probably because there isn't even a known test available for animals.
As for why the dog in Spain was euthanized, theĀ International Society for Infectious DiseasesĀ says,Ā "In some legal systems, as in the law of the European Union, the application of the precautionary principle has been made a statutory requirement in some areas of law."
Nina Pham continues to receive treatmentĀ as her dog is kept safe. SheĀ says she is currently doing well after receiving a blood transfusion.
This video includes an image from Getty Images.
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