Updated October 20, 2014

We know that the recent headlines about Ebola may raise questions about travel to our region and we want to relay the most current information we have to you.

Please know that the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau is closely monitoring the situation with local, state and federal health officials, who have made it clear that the public at large is not at risk.
 
There have been no cases of the Ebola virus reported in Tarrant County, which includes the greater Fort Worth area. To date, there have been three diagnosed cases of Ebola occurring in the United States, all of which have been treated at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. The Center for Disease Control and the Tarrant County Public Health Department are confident that people in our community are safe.

It’s important to know that the Ebola virus is not spread through casual contact and is not an airborne disease. It is transmitted through contact with bodily fluids, and a person must have symptoms to spread Ebola to others. The two cases identified this week are health care providers who treated the original U.S. patient, who traveled to Texas from Liberia.

The U.S. Travel Association, our industry’s voice in Washington, is closely monitoring and is in regular contact with the White House and Administration officials. They have expressed to Administration leaders the need for clear guidance for travel professionals and have urged for a responsible approach that both protects public health and minimizes disruptions to interstate travel and commerce. You can read a statement prepared by the U.S. Travel Association here.

On Monday morning (Oct. 20), officials held a press conference confirming that the initial group of individuals being monitored in seclusion have been cleared from the watch list (without any new confirmed cases) and are now able to return home and to normal activities. This is positive progress since many of those individuals were family members to the initial patient and had been in close contact with him before his hospitalization. Nov. 7 will mark the final day that a watch list will be in effect, based on the three confirmed cases.

Here are some helpful links to the latest information from public health organizations:

Centers for Disease Control, www.cdc.gov

Tarrant County Public Health Department,
www. Tarrantcounty.com/eHealth

Thank you for your interest in Fort Worth. We look forward to seeing you here soon!