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Sister: US Ebola patient said he was from Liberia

By WTOP Staff

DALLAS (AP) — According to his sister, the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States has said he notified health care workers the first time he went to the hospital that he was visiting the U.S. from Liberia.

It’s one of the West African countries hardest hit by the Ebola outbreak.

His sister says Thomas Duncan went to a Dallas emergency room on Friday and was sent home with antibiotics. He returned two days later after his condition worsened, and was admitted to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital.

A doctor confirms that a nurse asked Duncan on his first visit whether he’d been in an area affected by the Ebola outbreak, but that the “information was not fully communicated throughout the whole team.”

A nine-member group of federal health officials is tracking anyone who had close contact with Duncan. The team from the Centers for Disease Control is in Dallas to ensure that those people are watched every day for 21 days.

The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says anyone who develops a fever will be isolated.

In all, officials are monitoring 12 to 18 people who may have been exposed to Duncan, including three members of the ambulance crew that took him to the hospital and five schoolchildren.

%@AP Links

157-a-13-(Dr. Mark Lester, executive vice president, Texas Health Resources, at news conference)-“clinical decision making”-Dr. Mark Lester says the patient now being treated for Ebola had told a nurse on his first visit he was visiting from Liberia. (1 Oct 2014)

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158-a-11-(Governor Rick Perry, R-Texas, at news conference)-“of the disease”-Governor Rick Perry says a few youngsters are being closely watched for any sign of Ebola symptoms. (1 Oct 2014)

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APPHOTO TXDAM552: In this Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014 photo, Dr. Edward Goodman, epidemiologist at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, answers follow-up questions to the media after a news conference at the hospital, in Dallas, where a patient has been diagnosed with the Ebola virus. The patient traveled to Dallas from Liberia and is the first case of this strain of Ebola that has been diagnosed outside of West Africa. (AP Photo/The Dallas Morning News, Kye R. Lee) MANDATORY CREDIT; MAGS OUT; TV OUT; INTERNET USE BY AP MEMBERS ONLY; NO SALES (30 Sep 2014)

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APPHOTO TXMO106: A vehicle drives up the driveway to the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014. A patient in the hospital is being teated for Ebola. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (30 Sep 2014)

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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