The Hawaii Department of Health confirmed early Thursday that a person in isolation at a Honolulu hospital who was reported as a possible Ebola case Wednesday does not meet the criteria for testing. The individual is no longer under evaluation
The Hawaii Department of Health confirmed early Thursday that a person in isolation at a Honolulu hospital who was reported as a possible Ebola case Wednesday does not meet the criteria for testing. The individual is no longer under evaluation for possible Ebola infection.
“The hospital acted in the best interests of the community, with an abundance of caution,” said Health Director Dr. Linda Rosen in a prepared statement. “We commend the facility for being prepared and remaining vigilant regarding the risk of Ebola. After investigation by the health department, it was determined that the individual did not meet the clinical or travel exposure criteria for an Ebola infection.”
The Queen’s Medical Center late Wednesday said it was evaluating a patient for possible symptoms that may be consistent with Ebola.
The patient’s history and clinical presentations did not appear to be consistent with Ebola, the Honolulu hospital said in the prepared statement, noting that the patient could have been diagnosed with a number of conditions other than Ebola virus. Because of patient confidentiality laws, the hospital declined to provide further information about the patient.
The hospital said the because of the heightened awareness of Ebola, it was taking extra precautionary measures to ensure the safety of patients, physicians, hospital staff, volunteers and visitors. That included placing the patient in isolation.
The news of a possible case of Ebola in the islands came just one day after the Centers of Disease Control confirmed the first case of Ebola being diagnosed in the United States. On Tuesday, a Liberian national who traveled the United States last week was diagnosed with Ebola in Dallas, Texas. Up to 80 people who came into contact with the man are being monitored for symptoms. Ebola is a severe, often fatal disease. Early symptoms include sudden fever, fatigue and headache. Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure.
The Ebola virus is spread through direct contact with blood, secretions or other bodily fluids or exposure to contaminated objects, such as needles. Ebola is not contagious until symptoms appear, according to the hospital. The World Health Organization says about 3,300 people in West Africa have died from the virus. More than 7,100 have been diagnosed with Ebola.
