Ebola. It’s not just for Africa anymore. Patients at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital are now being tested for Ebola as symptoms of the disease are spreading among patients. One patient, who has exhibited Ebola symptoms has already been placed in isolation.
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| Ebola in New York? Patients tested at Mount Sinai |
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Mount Sinai Hospital is performing tests on a patient who had recently traveled to a West African country where Ebola has been reported, the hospital says.
A male patient with high fever and gastrointestinal symptoms came to the hospital’s emergency room on Monday morning.
The hospital says the patient has been placed in strict isolation and is undergoing medical screenings to determine the cause of his symptoms.
“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 statement.
Mt. Sinai is following what the Center for Disease Control recommended last week when they sent a Health Alert to doctors and hospitals.
The Ebola virus causes a hemorrhagic fever that has sickened more than 1,300 people in Africa, killing more than 700 mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. It is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, such as blood or urine, unlike an airborne virus like influenza or the common cold. A person exposed to the virus can take up to 21 days to exhibit any symptoms, making it possible for infected travelers to enter the U.S. without knowing they have it.