Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett Discusses Ebola In NYC

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It seems like we learn about a new development in the Ebola outbreak just about every day.

CBS2's Maurice DuBois sat down with Dr. Mary Bassett, the city's health commissioner, to discuss Ebola concerns in New York City.

Bassett gave an update on the more than 100 people who are being monitored for Ebola in the city.

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"There are a couple of ways that we bring people into monitoring," she said. "One is the people who are in contact with Dr. (Craig) Spencer, the patient who's being treated for Ebola -- the only person diagnosed with Ebola in New York City. Everybody who's had contact with him is monitored. That means the people who transported him, the nurses who are looking after him, the lab techs who ran his bloodwork.

"In addition, people coming from West Africa from the three countries where Ebola transmission is ongoing are all being identified at the airport and entered into active monitoring."

Bassett said everyone who is being monitored is "healthy." Only three people -- all of whom had close contact with Spencer -- are quarantined. The rest are not confined to their homes.

"Active monitoring means that somebody reaches out to them, calls them up and asks them to report their temperature," Bassett said. "This is done typically twice a day."

For the full interview with Bassett, click on the video above.

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