Earlier this week, man was tested at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City under the suspicion that he was infected with the deadly Ebola virus. Now the city's health department has issued a statement saying that this man is unlikely to have the disease.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued a statement earlier this week saying that, "after consultation with CDC and Mount Sinai, the health department has concluded that the patient is unlikely to have the virus. Specimens are being tested for common causes of illness and to definitively exclude Ebola."
Early Monday morning, the male patient was brought into the hospital's emergency room to receive treatment for high fever and gastrointestinal problems. Suspicion escalated about the patient having the Ebola virus when it was found that he had recently been to a West African country where the disease is now causing an epidemic of unprecedented proportions. Hospital staff placed the man and strict isolation where they proceeded to screen him for the virus. Officials said Monday afternoon that, "All the 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."
Since this incident happened early Monday morning, hospitals and other health facilities in a New York have been on high alert. This was according to Ian Michaels, spokesperson for the New York City Health And Hospitals Corporation, who also detailed the circumstances surrounding the detainment of a man traveling from a West African country last week who suddenly developed fever and headache during his detainment. The man was taken to the Bellevue Hospital where he was later on released after being in isolation for 24 hours. The increased public concern over these cases is a result of the presently growing outbreak of Ebola in West Africa. The Ebola virus is considered as one of the world's most virulent diseases.