According to ABC New York, a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital is undergoing tests for Ebola on Monday. It is said the male patient recently traveled to a West African country where the virus is currently present.
The American public is already alarmed with the two Ebola-infected U.S. patients that are being airlifted from Liberia to Atlanta for treatment. The first arrived on Saturday and the other is expected early Tuesday morning. Now, a patient at New York City's Mount Sinai Hospital visited the emergency room on Monday with a high fever and gastrointestinal symptoms after visiting the West African region.
Mount Sinai officials said the patient is in strict isolation as he is undergoing medical screenings. A spokeswoman said the hospital is protecting the patient's identity and will not make any of his personal information public. Mount Sinai is following guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week when the government agency sent a Health Alert to doctors and hospitals across the country.
"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," said spokeswoman Dorie Klissas, in this New York Times article. "All necessary steps are being taken to ensure the safety of all patients, visitors and staff."
According to the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, a man was isolated last week at Bellevue Hospital after being screened at JFK International Airport upon his return from West Africa. It was reported he had a high fever and other Ebola-like symptoms, but his fever dissipated within a day and he was found to be healthy. But the scare is real, despite the United States possessing the means to contain the virus effectively. CDC director Tom Frieden says there is nothing to worry about if healthcare workers follow the proper safety procedures because Ebola can be contained in a proper medical setting. However, it's not reassuring that somebody in New York City - one of the most densely populated areas in the world - could potentially be infected with the deadly virus.
The outbreaks in Africa are still raging, as the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 163 new cases and 61 deaths in the week ending on August 1. This brings the total in West Africa to 1,603 cases and 887 deaths since the outbreaks began in February. The U.S. will soon be familiarized with treating Ebola patients after the two Americans from Liberia are fully recovered at Emory Hospital in Atlanta.
For now, you can read more about the suspected patient in New York City in this WABC-TV New York article.
