Ebola chief says CDC lab incident poses no risk to public

ATLANTA — The U.S. Ebola response coordinator called the mishandling of materials that led to a lab technician’s possible exposure to the virus “unacceptable.”

Ebola Response Coordinator Ron Klain told CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday that the incident at a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention carried no risk to the public because of protocols and procedures that are in place.

Klain says the CDC technician, who may have come into contact with a small amount of live virus during an experiment, is monitored daily and shows no signs of infection.

Klain also said the FDA has approved widespread testing in West Africa of a vaccine to prevent Ebola. He says tens of thousands of people will get the vaccine. The program begins in three to four weeks.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS