A Yale researcher returning from Liberia where they were studying the Ebola virus is now exhibiting Ebola-like symptoms at a Connecticut hospital. But despite all the red flags in this potential Ebola case, “officials stressed it is UNLIKELY the patient will test positive for the disease.”
Really? Unless there is something they aren’t telling us, sounds like someone just doesn’t want people to panic.
Despite their assurances, I suspect in 24 hours or less we’ll have our newest Ebola patient:
CBS NEW YORK – A patient with Ebola-like symptoms being treated at Yale-New Haven Hospital has been placed in isolation in stable condition, hospital officials said Thursday.
The hospital said the patient was admitted late Wednesday night for an evaluation and said it has “not confirmed or ruled-out any diagnosis at this point.”
The patient, a Yale researcher, had recently returned from Liberia, one of three West African countries hit hardest by the disease. The patient had traveled to the country to study the virus and returned to Connecticut last week.
Hospital officials said the patient had been self-monitoring for Ebola symptoms when a fever developed and contacted their doctor. After seeing the patient, the doctor then notified the hospital, officials said.
“The patient was evaluated in the emergency department, patient was stable and in good condition at the time,” said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Thomas Balcezak. “Then we were able to move the patient to our inpatient service where they were placed in a high-level precaution area.”
Results on samples that have been sent for testing are expected in the next 24 hours, but officials stressed it is unlikely the patient will test positive for the disease.
“While we recognize that this is just a suspected case, we don’t believe that, in really thinking it through, it will actually turn out to be an Ebola case,” said New HavenMayor Toni Harp.
“We do not have a confirmation that this an Ebola case,” Balcezak said. “This is a suspected case and we have an abundance of caution here that we are testing that patient and we should know that within the next 24 hours.”