First patient with the suspected virus in the U.S. since Craig Spencer in 2014.
According to the Denver Post, authorities have confirmed that Health Officials in Denver have been investigating a patient who was placed in isolation for suspected Ebola virus today. Reports so far claim that the patient is in fair condition; however, the facility is on temporary lockdown.
Health Officials, while concerned, are saying that Ebola is only being considered as a potential cause for the patien’s illness. They have also stated this as an “unlikely diagnosis.” Emergency crews, however have been photographed by CBS wearing hazmat suits while entering the building earlier this afternoon. Still, officials are saying that they will continue to operate the hospital as per usual, remarking that there is no threat to the public, including hospital staff and other patients.
Connie Price, who is an infectious diseases physician and Chief Medical Officer of Denver Health, spoke to reporters, saying that it is unlikely the investigation will link the virus to Ebola, cites CBS 4 Devner.
“From an initial review of the situation and the symptoms presented by the patient, it is unlikely that this will be confirmed as an Ebola case.”
Several agencies, including the state health department are working with other Denver Health officials to look into this particular case. In the state, Denver Health is only one of 10 regional facilities specifically designed by the U.S. Government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to handle the care of patients with Ebola. The patient currently in quarantine has not been named, and no further details are available at this time.
Back in December 2014, the United States faced a fear of Ebola when four cases of the Ebola virus were laboratory confirmed inside the country. In total, eleven cases had been reported, cited the CDC, including the aforementioned four and seven others that were medically evacuated from other countries. At the time, CNNreported on the patients being diagnosed and investigated for cases of the Ebola virus. September 2014 was the first reported case of Ebola in the United States. The first confirmed case of the virus was with a gentleman by the name of Thomas Eric Duncan. He was also the first person to die inside the United States from Ebola. His contraction of the illness occurred in Monrovia, Liberia — to date the country hit hardest by the Ebola virus epidemic — where he was working as a FedEx contractor. Liberian officials came forward at that time, saying that Duncan lied about his contact history with the Ebola virus before initially boarding Brussels Airlines.
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