The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Sacramento announced on Friday, August 22, that the samples collected from the patient suspected of having Ebola had turned out negative for the virus. The patient went under investigation after falling ill and manifesting symptoms similar to the disease that has befallen so many in West Africa. Health officials in the city and the state have worked together on the case to make sure that all the proper protocols for the testing, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease were followed.
Dr. Ron Chapman, Director of Sacramento County Public Health said in a statement, "We are pleased with the negative outcome for the Ebola test and wish the patient a speedy recovery. The case in Sacramento County demonstrates that the system is working. This patient was quickly identified, appropriate infection control procedures were implemented, and public-health authorities were notified."
Currently, there are no confirmed cases of the Ebola virus in the state of California, and there have been no reports of high-risk patients that have been admitted to hospitals. Health authorities have also circulated information about the disease, warning the public that if a person has traveled to any of the affected countries and develops fever, or any of the symptoms, within three weeks from returning, they must immediately seek medical attention and notify their healthcare providers about their previous travel history.
However, representatives from Public Health also say that the potential risk for the deadly Ebola virus of spreading across California is very low since their hospitals are fully prepared to follow the international recommendations for isolation and infection control procedures. They have advanced medical protocols in place that are specifically designed to prevent the spread of the disease, should it occur. They assure the public that if there were the case that needed to be investigated for the virus, local health departments would immediately take charge of the situation to keep Californians safe.