Mount Sinai Hospital: Patient In Isolation Does Not Have Ebola
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Mount Sinai Hospital patient who has been in isolation since Monday does not have the Ebola virus, hospital officials said Wednesday afternoon.
"We would like to report that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have determined that the patient kept in isolation since Monday, August 4, 2014 at The Mount Sinai Hospital has tested negative for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)," the hospital said in a statement. "The patient is in stable condition, is improving, and remains in the care of our physicians and nurses."
It was not immediately clear what disease the man was suffering from. He had recently taken a trip to West Africa.
As WCBS 880's Monica Miller reported, the CDC said so far, three Americans in the United States have been tested for the virus, and all of the tests have came back with negative results.
Mount Sinai Hospital: Patient In Isolation Does Not Have Ebola
While the hospital was awaiting the test results, the patient was "able to eat and move around within the confines of a strict isolation room," said Mount Sinai President and Chief Operating Officer Dr. David Reich.
Reich told WCBS 880's Marla Diamond the case was a good test for the sprawling medical center.
Hospital President: Patient In High Spirits, Ebola Test Results Could Come Wednesday
"New York is a major port of entry, so we have to remain vigilant," Reich said.
Reich said the likelihood of seeing Ebola in New York City is greater than it would be in other American cities. "But I think our preparedness is also at a much higher level, so I think that should really reassure the public that people really are prepared to deal with health care threats in New York City," he said.
Because disease control measures are much greater in the United States, an outbreak here would be extremely rare, Reich said.
The patient showed up to the Mount Sinai Medical Center emergency room Monday morning with a high fever and gastrointestinal problems.
The man was placed into "strict isolation" within seven minutes of his arrival, and was undergoing various tests to determine the cause of the symptoms, the hospital said.
Hospitals Across NYC Ready For Possible Ebola Cases
The Ebola virus causes a hemorrhagic fever that has sickened more than 1,700 people, killing more than 900, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
It's spread through direct contact with bodily fluids. A person exposed to the virus can take up to 21 days to exhibit symptoms, making it possible for infected travelers to enter the U.S. without knowing they have it.
The current outbreak is the largest since the disease first emerged in Africa nearly 40 years ago.
There is no cure or vaccine for Ebola, but a vaccine is set to begin human trials next month. So far, the vaccine has shown success in monkeys.
For more information on Ebola from the CDC, click here.
You May Also Be Interested In These Stories
(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
