Amber Vinson contacts will begin to be released from Ebola monitoring requirements this weekend, Public health officials say they expect monitoring for Ebola symptoms to end this weekend for some people who came into contact with former Ebola patient Amber Vinson.
Friday marked the 21st day since Vinson arrived in the area before she knew she contracted Ebola while treating a patient in Dallas.
Vinson, the Akron native who is free of the potentially deadly disease, flew into Cleveland Hopkins Airport on Oct. 10 and stayed in the Akron area while planning her wedding until she flew back to Dallas on Oct. 14.
The three-week mark is significant because health officials say anyone who came into contact with someone with Ebola will either show symptoms of the disease after 21 days or did not contract Ebola.
"All of the contacts have remained free of symptoms of Ebola and none have reported any fever as of today," Summit County Public Health Epidemologist Margo Erme said.
Officials say there are still no cases of Ebola in Ohio. Some of the 41 total people being monitored in Summit County will be taken off Saturday if they continue to show no Ebola symptoms.
Three people, including two in Summit County and one in Cuyahoga County, remain quarantined. Erme said they will not give information as to when the three will be dismissed from quarantine.
Another 17 across the state are being actively monitored, including eight in Summit County. Those people have travel restrictions and have their temperature taken by health officials twice daily.
Ninety-four others are being monitored via phone by health officials and 50 are still self-monitoring, according to the state.
If no one shows symptoms, all quarantines and monitoring requirements will be lifted on Nov. 4, according to Donna Scoda, the assistant public health commissioner for Summit County.
Some of those on the list could come off as early as Saturday, which marks 21 days since Vinson and five bridesmaids shopped for dresses at Coming Attractions bridal store in Akron.
Officials said Vinson spent the rest of her time in the area at her stepfather's Tallmadge home.
Erme said anyone who last had contact with Vinson on Oct. 11 will be released from monitoring on Sunday.
"They can resume life," Erme said. "They will have no check-ins, no reporting requirements and the 21-day waiting period will be over."
