A person in New York City was tested for Ebola after touring to West Africa. The information comes shortly after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention introduced it should ship 50 staffers to the area over the subsequent month to fight the lethal outbreak.
Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan carried out checks on the male affected person with excessive fever and gastrointestinal signs, the hospital stated in a press release.
He arrived in the emergency room Monday morning, and had beforehand traveled to one of many West African international locations the place Ebola has been reported.
“All necessary steps are being taken to ensure the safety of all patients, visitors and staff. We will continue to work closely with federal, state and city health officials to address and monitor this case, keep the community informed and provide the best quality care to all of our patients,” the hospital wrote in a press release.
ABC News’ Dr. Richard Besser cautioned that the affected person might not have Ebola, however stated the hospital is taking the right steps by following CDC suggestions and putting the person in strict isolation, in accordance to WABC-TV, “Many things cause fever and gastrointestinal symptoms,” he said. “The steps they are taking are wise given the travel history, but nothing about the symptoms is specific to Ebola.”
By a Monday night press convention, nevertheless, Mt. Sinai officers concluded, “Odds are it’s not Ebola.” The hospital continues to be testing specimens from the affected person for widespread causes of sickness.
“It’s much more likely that this is a much more common condition,” stated Dr. Jeremy Boal, the hospital’s chief medical officer.
As the CDC prepares to ship at the very least 50 employees members to the West African international locations of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone ‒ the place the outbreak is happening ‒ some worry that Ebola might unfold to the US.
“There is always the possibility that someone with an infectious disease can enter the United States,” CDC spokeswoman Barbara Reynolds stated Monday. “The public well being concern is whether or not it will unfold, and, in that case, how shortly.”
At least 826 folks have died for the reason that starting of the yr, and over 1,440 have been contaminated in the three international locations, in accordance to the most recent numbers from the World Health Organization. Ebola, which causes extreme hemorrhaging, has a case fatality charge of up to 90 p.c. It is unfold by direct contact with the blood and different bodily fluids of contaminated animals or folks.