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Dallas Ebola patient vomited outside apartment on way to hospital

DALLAS (Reuters) - Two days after he was sent home from a Dallas hospital, the man who is the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the United States was seen vomiting on the ground outside an apartment complex as he was bundled into an ambulance.

"His whole family was screaming. He got outside and he was throwing up all over the place," resident Mesud Osmanovic, 21, said on Wednesday, describing the chaotic scene before the man was admitted to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital on Sunday where he is in serious condition.

The hospital cited the man's privacy as the reason for not identifying him. However, Gee Melish, who said he was a family friend, identified the man in Texas infected with Ebola as Thomas Eric Duncan.

The New York Times said that Duncan, in his mid-40s, helped transport a pregnant woman suffering from Ebola to a hospital in Liberia, where she was turned away for lack of space. Duncan helped bring the woman back to her family's home and carried her into the house, where she later died, the newspaper reported. Four days later Duncan left for the United States, the Times said, citing the woman's parents and neighbors.

Texas health officials said that up to 18 people, including five children, had contact with the Ebola patient after he traveled to the United States from Liberia in late September. The children had gone to school early this week but have since been sent home and are being monitored for symptoms.

The Dallas Ebola case has prompted national concern over the potential for a wider spread of the deadly virus from West Africa, where at least 3,338 people have died in the worst outbreak on record.

U.S. health officials have said the country's healthcare system was well prepared to contain any spread of Ebola, through careful tracking of people who had contact with the patient and appropriate care for those admitted to hospital.

U.S. stocks fell sharply. Airline and hotel company shares dropped over concerns that Ebola's spread outside Africa might curtail travel.

Drugmakers with experimental Ebola treatments in the pipeline saw their shares rise.

SENT HOME

The patient had initially sought treatment at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital late on Thursday and was sent home with antibiotics rather than being observed further, even though he told a nurse he had recently returned from West Africa. By Sunday, he needed an ambulance to return to the same hospital, where he was admitted.

A nurse asked about the travel as part of a triage checklist and was told about it. "Regretfully, that information was not fully communicated throughout the full teams. As a result, the full import of that information wasn’t factored into the full decision making," Texas hospital official Mark Lester said.

Infectious disease experts said that time gap represented a critical missed opportunity that may have led others to be exposed to the virus.

At the apartment complex, Osmanovic said he met the man three times over the years when he was visiting his family. Most of the neighborhood is from Liberia, Somalia or the Sudan. Osmanovic is from Bosnia.

The only sign Wednesday of the family's presence was someone occasionally pulling back the white blinds to peek out into the parking lot. A security officer blocked the entrance to the complex, with instructions only to let residents in and out.

Dr. Christopher Perkins, Dallas County Health and Human Services Medical Director, said that of the 18 people who had been in contact, many were "close family members."

The children among them "did not have any symptoms and so the odds of them passing on any sort of virus is very low," said Mike Miles, Dallas Independent School District superintendent.

Miles said the four different schools they attended would be staffed with additional health professionals and classes would remain in session.

Texas officials said health workers who took care of the patient had so far tested negative for the virus and there were no other suspected cases in the state. Texas Governor Rick Perry told a news conference he was confident the virus would be contained, as did other officials.

Ebola spreads through contact with bodily fluids such as blood or saliva, which health experts say limits its potential to infect others, unlike airborne diseases. Still, the long window of time before patients exhibit signs of infection, such as fever, vomiting and diarrhea, means an infected person can travel without detection.

While past outbreaks killed as many as 90 percent of victims, the current epidemic's fatality rate has averaged about 50 percent in West Africa.

The patient arrived in Texas on Sept. 20, and first sought treatment six days later, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. The Liberian government said that the man showed no signs of fever or other symptoms of Ebola when he left the country on Sept. 19.

A Liberian official said the man traveled through Brussels to the United States. United Airlines said in a statement that the man took one of its flights from Brussels to Washington Dulles Airport, where he changed planes to travel to Dallas-Fort Worth.

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BFW 10/02 02:15 *ABE: WILL CONTINUE TO MANAGE GPIF FUNDS WITH LONG-TERM VIEW BN 10/02 02:10 *ABE: WILL CONTINUE TO MANAGE GPIF FUNDS WITH LONG-TERM VIEW BN 10/02 02:09 *ABE: WILL CONTINUE TO MANAGE GPIF FUNDS SAFELY, EFFICIENTLY BN 10/02 02:07 *ABE: WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE JAPAN-CHINA SUMMIT AT APEC MEETING BFW 10/02 02:06 *ABE SAYS WANT BETTER RELATIONS WITH CHINA, S. KOREA BN 10/02 02:06 *ABE: WANT BETTER RELATIONS WITH CHINA, S. KOREA BN 10/02 02:04 *ABE: GPIF REVAMP WILL ULTIMATELY BENEFIT JAPAN ECONOMY BN 10/02 02:03 *JAPAN PRIME MINISTER ABE SPEAKS IN PARLIAMENT BFW 10/02 02:03 *ABE: MANAGING PENSION FUNDS OUT OF INTEREST OF PENSIONEES

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Abe Says GPIF Fund Revamp Will Ultimately Benefit Japan Economy 2014-10-02 02:19:50.143 GMT

By Keiichi Yamamura Oct. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tells parliament Japan’s government pension fund will continue to operate with long-term view and manage funds in a safe and efficient manner. * Abe, speaking in Tokyo, says fund is managed out of interest of retirees * Related Story: Reforming GPIF Not Aimed at Boosting Stock Prices, Abe Says: {NSN NCP7DM6JTSEB <go>}

Link to Company News:{GPIVFZ JP <Equity> CN <GO>}

For Related News and Information: First Word scrolling panel: {FIRST<GO>} First Word newswire: {NH BFW<GO>}

To contact the reporter on this story: Keiichi Yamamura in 東京 at +81-3-3201-8656 or kyamamura@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Lily Nonomiya at +81-3-3201-2056 or lnonomiya@bloomberg.net

After Hours Summary: AGU -4.5% following earnings/guidance

After Hours Gainers:

Companies trading higher in after hours in reaction to news: ESPR +29.4% (announced positive top-line Phase 2b results for ETC-1002, an investigational therapy for patients with hypercholesterolemia), RLD +19.2% (Starboard raises stake to 9.9% and delivered a letter to the Board proposing to acquire the company for $12 per share), DRL +5.0% (provided an update on status of its capital plan: co maintains readily available liquidity sources of ~$1 bln), LEU +4.2% (Co elected Mikel Williams as its chairman; current president and CEO John Welch will step down on October 17, 2014, and the board has begun the process of selecting the next CEO), DTV +1.3% (Co and NFL extended and expanded DIRECTV's exclusive rights to carry NFL SUNDAY TICKET), ARG +1.3% (to increase argon prices by up to 15%, effective November 1 or as contracts permit)

After Hours Losers:

Companies trading lower in after hours in reaction to earnings: AGU -4.4%

Companies trading lower in after hours in reaction to news: WILN -12.3% (co provided a litigation update: a judge issued a ruling today that grants Apple's motion for summary judgment), NLNK -9.5% (announced appointment of Jack Henneman as Chief Financial Officer following departure of Gordon H. Link, Jr.), DGLY -3.8% (filed for ~1.19 mln share common stock offering by selling shareholders), RDUS -1.7% (announced proposed public offering of common stock, size not disclosed), PPG -1.7% (announced a U.S. District Court affirmed confirmation of the current Pittsburgh Corning plan of reorganization), RVNC -1.5% (announced expected delay in results from Phase 3 study of RT001 for the treatment of lateral canthal (crow's feet) lines), MRD -1.5% (filed for ~27.8 mln share common stock offering by selling shareholders)

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Clariant Revamp Makes Chemical Maker Target for BASF: Real M&A 2014-10-01 22:57:48.303 GMT

(For a Real M&A column news alert: {SALT REALMNA <GO>}.)

By Brooke Sutherland and Patrick Winters Oct. 2 (Bloomberg) -- This may be the year for some dealmaking chemistry between Clariant AG and potential buyers. In his six years as the $5.7 billion company’s Chief Executive Officer, Hariolf Kottmann has used acquisitions and almost $1 billion in divestitures to lift the chemical producer’s profitability. With net income projected to rise next year to the highest since 2000, the new and improved Clariant may entice both private-equity buyers and other chemical makers, according to shareholder Alpine Woods Capital Investors LLC. Clariant’s Swiss headquarters could also make it a candidate for a tax-inversion transaction. After the overhaul, “they’ve got a number of businesses that are in really good niches, so good growth, high margins, high return on capital and cash generative,” Brian Hennessey, a fund manager at Purchase, New York-based Alpine Woods, which oversees about $4.5 billion, including Clariant shares, said in a phone interview. “This is the Holy Grail” for a buyer. BASF SE, the world’s largest chemical producer, may be interested in a takeover, said Kepler Cheuvreux. Evonik Industries AG, the $16 billion German chemical maker, could see benefits from a deal with Clariant, said Zuercher Kantonalbank. The company may command at least a 21 percent premium, according to Bank Vontobel AG. An acquisition would add to the busiest year for chemical dealmaking since 2008, with more than $55 billion in takeovers announced so far. Kai Rolker, a spokesman for Clariant, declined to comment.

Targeting Growth

Deals are on the rise as companies seek to expand in specialty chemicals and add growth, said Jeffrey Stafford, a Chicago-based analyst at Morningstar Inc. Eastman Chemical Co. agreed last month to buy Taminco Corp., a producer of alkylamines whose sales are projected to grow at a faster pace than its own. Albemarle Corp. brokered a deal in July for lithium producer Rockwood Holdings Inc., saying it expected demand for the lightweight metal used in smartphones and electric cars to surge. Similar motivations could drive suitors to Clariant. Kottmann, a 30-year veteran of the chemical industry who took over as CEO in 2008, has overhauled the company to make it more profitable, with a focus on areas such as catalysts for the petrochemical industry, agrochemicals and ingredients for shampoos and moisturizers.

Nice Mix

Clariant’s revamp included the acquisition of German catalyst-maker Sued-Chemie AG in 2011 and the shedding of less- profitable units making commodity chemicals for paper, leather and textiles. Net income is set to jump to 404 million Swiss francs ($422 million) next year, compared with a loss the year Kottmann took over. “Since they finished the restructuring, portfolio reshuffling and integration of Sued-Chemie, they’ve got a really nice mix of businesses,” Patrick Rafaisz, a Zurich-based analyst at Bank Vontobel, said by phone. “If any major deal would happen in Europe, Clariant is definitely one of the top picks for any global diversified chemical company.” Buyers can still get Clariant for a relative bargain. The maker of pearlizing concentrates for shampoo trades at about 9 times its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization in the last year. That’s a discount to the median multiple of 11 for similar-sized peers, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Rafaisz said a sale price of at least 20 Swiss francs a share would be fair, or 21 percent more than its closing price yesterday.

‘Hidden Gem’

Clariant could appeal to private-equity investors, who may be tempted by the chance to snap up a “hidden gem” with potential for significant cash generation, Hennessey of Alpine Woods said. Chemical producers may be interested in Clariant’s focus on higher-margin businesses, and the company’s market value of less than $6 billion would make it easily digestible for a larger diversified competitor, he said. A combination between Clariant and Evonik, a $16 billion German chemical company, would yield substantial synergies and present no significant antitrust issues, Martin Schreiber, a Zurich-based analyst at Zuercher Kantonalbank, wrote in an e- mail. Schreiber pointed to Dow Chemical Co. as another potential buyer to consider, while Kepler Cheuvreux analysts in a report last week highlighted Clariant as an appealing target for Germany’s BASF, which was valued at $82 billion yesterday.

Prior Speculation

BASF and Dow have been speculated as buyers for Clariant before. In 2008, when Clariant was roiled by disappointing earnings, analysts saw the conglomerates as potential acquirers. Representatives for Evonik, BASF and Midland, Michigan- based Dow declined to comment. There are other possible targets in the chemicals industry that buyers may pounce on first. Carlyle Group LP is open to bids for its Axalta Coating Systems as it simultaneously plans an initial offering for the business it bought from DuPont Co. in 2013, people familiar with the matter said last month, asking not to be identified because the plan is private. In a report this week, Laurence Alexander of Jefferies LLC highlighted Croda International Plc, a $4.4 billion maker of cosmetics ingredients, and $6.1 billion methanol producer Methanex Corp. as some of the most likely next targets. Representatives for U.K.-based Croda and Vancouver-based Methanex didn’t respond to requests for comment. While Clariant may not be the only target, it could be hard to overlook. Clariant is a “company that overall is trading at a below- peer group, or below-market multiple, that has the majority of its earnings and cash flow with those better characteristics,” Hennessey of Alpine Woods said. “It seems like that’s what the acquirers are after.”

For Related News and Information: Clariant Chief Blunts Activist Interest by Fast Transformation NSN N7RQFT6S972Q <GO> Akzo Nobel Said to Be Sounded Out for $7 Billion Axalta Deal NSN NB9XN76VDKI1 <GO> Largest Lithium Deal Spurred by Smartphones, Teslas: Commodities NSN N8TJON6JTSEI <GO> Bloomberg Intelligence - Specialty Chemicals: BI SPCH <GO> Clariant’s M&A news: CLN VX <Equity> TCNI MNA <GO> Real M&A columns: NI REALMNA <GO> Top deal stories: DTOP <GO>

--With assistance from Jack Kaskey in Houston and Sheenagh Matthews in Frankfurt.

To contact the reporters on this story: Brooke Sutherland in New York at +1-212-617-0448 or bsutherland7@bloomberg.net; Patrick Winters in Zurich at +41-44-224-4117 or pwinters3@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Beth Williams at +1-212-617-2307 or bewilliams@bloomberg.net; Simon Thiel at +44-20-7673-2814 or sthiel1@bloomberg.net Whitney Kisling

US Indices: - Dow Jones -1.2% - S&P500 -1.3% - Nasdaq -1.5%

- Safe-haven Utilities sector is marginally higher, while the rest of the market is broadly soft. Basic Materials, Industrials, Tech, and Services are the worst performing sectors. COP and APC are leading oil majors with a 2% drop, while SLB and HAL are down 3%. In tech, HP and INTC are off by 2.5%. Cruises and travel leisure are also hit hard by Ebola scare - EXPE off by 3.2% and CCL is off by 2.6%. NRG is a particularly bright spot among utilities with a 2.3% rise.

US Fixed-Income: US Treasuries saw a solid bid across the curve, sending yields to multi-week lows. ISM Manufacturing PMI fell to 3-month lows, arresting a trend of consecutive increases. Wider macro themes of renewed Ukraine conflict, Hong Kong protests, and Ebola outbreak worries are adding to the risk-off theme.

- 2-yr: -4bps at 0.52% - 10-yr: -5bps at 2.40%; lowest since Sept 5th - 30-yr: -4bps at 3.12%; 1-month low - 2-10 spread: 1.92%

Energy: - WTI Nov crude oil contract at $90.61/brl, down sharply for the 2nd consecutive session, testing last week's lows below $90.50. The uptick from a bullish inventories report from the DOE has been fully reversed by the overall risk-off sentiment. Tepid China manufacturing PMI and Ebola-related airline weakness also cited.

Metals: - Spot Gold $1,215/oz, AM rally stopped short of the overnight highs around $1,220; still marks the largest session increase in a month. - Spot Silver $17.20/oz; moderate recovery to a session high of $17.45, largest session increase in about 3 months. - Dec Copper $3.03/lb, at the midpoint of $3.01-05 range; Downtrend remains intact.

Earnings at the close: - no major earnings

Looking ahead to Asia: - Australia Trade Balance, Building Approvals 21:30ET - Eye on Hong Kong and the deadline imposed by Occupy Central leaders for Chief Exec CY Leung to step down