Suspected Ebola Patient Tests Negative for Virus In Colorado

A patient from Colorado, who was being evaluated for Ebola after experiencing some signs of the deadly infection, has tested negative, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). The department carried out an Ebola test on the patient at the Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland. Later, the patient was moved to University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) out of an abundance of caution. The hospital will continue to provide care to the patient to determine whether additional examination is needed.

CDPHE officials said the patient was considered to be at low risk of infection with the virus. But, the person was placed in an isolated and secure area away from other people at the Medical Center of the Rockies.

Bill Neff, MD, UCH chief medical officer, said that, "We've trained for many months to safely respond to a possible Ebola patient, and our protocols call for transporting the patient to UCH when possible to safely continue evaluation and treatment.”

Symptoms fever, muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and lack of appetite may appear anywhere between two to 21 days after exposure to the virus.

Ebola is spread through direct contact with blood and body fluids of a person already showing symptoms of Ebola. Also, spread of the disease through the air between primates, including humans, has not been documented in either laboratory or natural conditions.

Advertisements

Source-Medindia