A COLORADO hospital was put in lockdown and a patient placed in isolation over fears of a possible Ebola virus outbreak.
Emergency crews in hazmat suits were seen entering Denver Health
Medical Center yesterday afternoon after a man suddenly fell ill at home
earlier that day.
Health officials say the patient had recently worked with sick people
in the Congo and returned to the US a couple of days ago, according to https://denver.cbslocal.com/2018/07/29/denver-health-ebola-tested-patient-isolated/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter" rel="nofollow - CBS Denver .
In a statement, the hospital said that he was in a fair condition and https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1776447/ebola-virus-outbreak-congo-symptoms-vaccine-latest/" rel="nofollow - Ebola was "being considered as a potential but unlikely diagnosis."
Dr Connie Price, an infectious
disease physician and chief medical officer at Denver Health, said: “The
symptoms can mimic a lot of common illnesses… anything from the flu to
appendicitis.
"From an initial review of the situation and the symptoms presented
by the patient, it is unlikely that this will be confirmed as an Ebola
case."
Test results are reportedly expected to come back later today.
The medical facility was briefly put on lockdown, with ambulances
diverted to other hospitals, after the patient arrived at 8.30am local
time on Sunday.
Doctors also isolated two paramedics and a student for testing and
were looking for another person in the city who may have had contact
with the man, https://www.denverpost.com/2018/07/29/denver-health-ebola-virus-isolation/" rel="nofollow - Denver Post reported.
Denver Health spokeswoman Jennifer Hillmann said: “The patient’s symptoms could represent a variety of common illnesses.
“The patient in question had reported being in an area of the Congo
on a medical missionary trip, but he was in a location where the Ebola
outbreak had been officially declared over, with no cases reported for
45 days, according to the CDC."
Officials said normal operations were resumed at the hospital by the
late afternoon and there is no threat or concern for patient, staff or
visitor safety.
The deadly Ebola virus disease is a serious illness that originated
in Africa, where a large outbreak occurred between 2014 and 2016.
It's only known to be spread through direct contact with bodily
fluids and causes fevers, headaches, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain
and unexplained bleeding or bruising.
The last significant outbreak, which killed 33 people in the Congo,
was declared over on Tuesday after aspeedy international response that
apparently contained its spread to remote rural areas.
There has been no Ebola cases in the US.
Source, photos, tweets and a press release from the Denver Health: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6893870/ebola-virus-fears-denver-hospital/" rel="nofollow - https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6893870/ebola-virus-fears-denver-hospital/