IMPORTANT UPDATE: Patient isolated in Honolulu hospital as officials say Ebola case possible [View all]

[DonViejo]

Last edited Thu Oct 2, 2014, 06:00 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Hawaii News Now

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Hawaii Department of Health says a patient at a local hospital in Honolulu was placed into isolation on Wednesday, and officials have not ruled out the possibility that the individual may have contracted the Ebola virus.

A patient who checked into the hospital on Wednesday morning is currently undergoing testing for several conditions, Health Department officials said. The patient had not yet been tested for the Ebola virus late Wednesday afternoon, and any tests for the virus would need to be sent to the U.S. mainland for analysis before any confirmation could be made, according to the Department of Health.
"We have not definitively said, we don't know why this person is ill," said Dr. Melissa Viray of the Department of Health in Hawaii. "But because we have concerns regarding Ebola as a possibility, even as a distant one, [the hospital] is taking all the precautions necessary to keep people safe."

Hospitals across the state have been briefed by the Department of Health about standing operating procedure from the Centers for Disease Control in the event of a possible Ebola case, Dr. Viray says.

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Read more: http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/26683295/patient-isolated-in-honolulu-hospital-as-officials-say-ebola-case-possible

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UPDATE:

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...the Hawaii state Department of Health said Thursday that it has ruled out the possibility that a patient isolated at a Honolulu hospital has the Ebola virus, CBS affiliate KGMB reports.

The patient, an unidentified man, was admitted to Queen's Medical Center Wednesday after experiencing what hospital officials called "possible symptoms that may be consistent with Ebola."

"The hospital acted in the best interests of the community, with an abundance of caution," said Hawaii Department of Health Director Dr. Linda Rosen. "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."

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http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ebola-virus-investigation-finds-hawaii-patient-doesnt-meet-criteria/

Thank you DU'er pnwmom for providing us with this important update! Much appreciated!