New York City Marathon Organizers Monitoring Updates On Ebola Virus

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Ebola scare already has the NFL's attention, and now New York City Marathon organizers say they are taking the threat seriously.

While the Giants were being briefed about the deadly virus in advance of their trip to Dallas, where there have been two confirmed cases, Chris Weiller, VP of the New York Road Runners, was telling local media on Wednesday that officials will be ready in advance of the Nov. 2 marathon.

"We are carefully monitoring updates from the CDC and the NYC Department of Health and will continue to coordinate closely with our health department partners at the city and state level to ensure the safety of participants, volunteers and spectators," Weiller told the Daily News. "The safety and security of our runners, spectators, volunteers and staff is always our main priority."

According to RunnersWorld.com, nearly 40 percent of last year's 50,740 marathon entrants came from outside the United States, but only seven finishers listed West African countries of citizenship on their race applications. Of those, the majority were thought to be based in the U.S.

The NFL's precautions include team physicians and athletic trainers being educated and receiving fact sheets about Ebola.

"We do recommend that medical personnel educate their players and staff about the need to inform club medical personnel in the unlikely event that they actually have such contact,'' wrote Doctors Daniel J. Sexton and Deverick J. Anderson, according to the Associated Press.

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