Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Fort Hood soldier, 24, under self-monitoring for Ebola found dead at 7.30am outside his own apartment

Fort Hood soldier, 24, under self-monitoring for Ebola found dead at 7.30am outside his own apartment 

  • The unidentified 24-year-old man was recently granted emergency leave
  • Officials with Fort Hood, Texas, have downplayed any fears of Ebola 

A Fort Hood soldier who just returned from West Africa and was self-monitoring for Ebola symptoms was found dead on Tuesday outside his apartment, officials said.
Killeen police and hazmat teams arrived after 911 calls came in of a man's body on the front lawn of his home, which is just outside the base.
Fort Hood said that the 24-year-old man, who has not been named, had returned on January 7 as part of a 87-person team assigned to West Africa for three months and was found dead at around 7.30am.
Worries: Killeen police investigate the death of a Fort Hood soldier who was found dead at his  home on Tuesday morning
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Worries: Killeen police investigate the death of a Fort Hood soldier who was found dead at his home on Tuesday morning
Scene: A U.S. Army soldier who just returned from West Africa and was self-monitoring for Ebola symptoms was found dead on Tuesday near the Texas base where he was posted, Fort Hood officials said
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Scene: A U.S. Army soldier who just returned from West Africa and was self-monitoring for Ebola symptoms was found dead on Tuesday near the Texas base where he was posted, Fort Hood officials said
Carrie Williams, director of media relations for Texas Department of State Health Services, told CBS News the man was stationed in Liberia.
'We are aware of the situation. Testing will occur. The risk is considered to be very low,' Williams said.
The unidentified soldier, who recently returned to Fort Hood in central Texas on emergency leave, was monitoring himself twice daily and reporting his status to medical officials said military officials.
'At this point, there is no indication of the Ebola virus disease, but medical tests are under way to ensure there is no threat to the community,' Army officials said in a statement.
Hazmat: The unidentified soldier, who recently returned to Fort Hood in central Texas on emergency leave, was monitoring himself twice daily and reporting his status to medical officials, they said
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Hazmat: The unidentified soldier, who recently returned to Fort Hood in central Texas on emergency leave, was monitoring himself twice daily and reporting his status to medical officials, they said
Indeed, officials at Fort Hood said that the man had recently been granted leave for a family emergency, which they did not elaborate on.
The soldier had been working with the 36th Engineering Brigade and was building hospitals to house Ebola patients.
An autopsy is due to take place at the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood.
'Because he recently returned from West Africa we're erring on the side of caution,' said Carroll Smith, spokesperson for the Killeen Police Department to the Scoop Blog.
'Because he was deceased and because we don't know the cause of death we want to take any and every precaution we need for safety reasons.'

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