http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/10/23/cbs-2-officials-looking-into-possible-ebola-case-in-new-york-city/Officials Looking Into Possible Ebola Case In New York City
Sources: Doctor Who Returned From Guinea Went Bowling In Brooklyn On Wednesday October 23, 2014 5:56 PM
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Officials on Thursday were looking into a possible Ebola case in New York City.
Sources tell CBS 2 EMS crews picked up Dr. Craig Spencer just after noon Thursday.
Sources told 1010 WINS he was rushed from a building on West 147th Street.
“Today, EMS HAZ TAC Units transferred to Bellevue Hospital a patient who presented a fever and gastrointestinal symptoms,” New York City officials said in a statement. “The patient is a health care worker who returned to the U.S. within the past 21 days from one of the three countries currently facing the outbreak of this virus.”
Spencer, who is a physician in his 30s and works with Doctors Without Borders, came back a week ago from Guinea, where he is believed to have been treating Ebola patients.
“A person in New York City, who recently worked with Doctors Without Borders in one of the Ebola-affected countries in West Africa, notified our office this morning to report having developed a fever,” Doctors Without Borders said in a statement. “As per the specific guidelines that Doctors Without Borders provides its staff on their return from Ebola assignments, the individual engaged in regular health monitoring and reported this development immediately. While at this stage there is no confirmation that the individual has contracted Ebola, Doctors Without Borders, in the interest of public safety and in accordance with its protocols, immediately notified the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, which is directly managing the individual’s care.”
The EMS crews responded to Spencer’s home wore “F Suits,” which are Level D Hazmat gear that covers the entire body, CBS 2 reported.
They stayed with the patient in the back of the ambulance, sources said, so as not to risk possible contamination of the front cabin. A third EMS paramedic drove to Bellevue Hospital.
“After consulting with the hospital and the CDC, DOHMH has decided to conduct a test for the Ebola virus because of this patient’s recent travel history, pattern of symptoms and past work,” city officials said in the statement. “DOHMH and HHC are also evaluating the patient for other causes of illness, as these symptoms can also be consistent with salmonella, malaria, or the stomach flu.”
Spencer remained at Bellevue Hospital Thursday afternoon, one of eight hospitals in New York state with specialized Ebola units.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference that Spencer has been “very communicative and very precise” with health officials.
“The patient is in good shape, and has gone into a great deal of detail with our personnel as to his actions in the last few days, so we have a lot to work with,” de Blasio said at a news conference.
He emphasized that people should not panic.
“The important thing to remember here is until we have full information, we can’t draw conclusions, so we want to be careful not to make assumptions until all the testing is done,” de Blasio said. “I also want to emphasize, in the midst of what is obviously a crisis that causes deep concern, we’ve seen some important evidence in the last week of the capacity of modern medicine to address this crisis.”
Ebola test results are expected within 12 hours, officials said. Mayor de Blasio said they might arrive “very late” Thursday night.
Whether the results are positive or negative, they will be sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta for possible confirmation, CBS 2 Political Reporter Marcia Kramer reported.
“As a further precaution, beginning today, the Health Department’s team of disease detectives immediately began to actively trace all of the patient’s contacts to identify anyone who may be at potential risk,” officials said. “The Health Department staff has established protocols to identify, notify, and, if necessary, quarantine any contacts of Ebola cases.”
Officials added that health care workers treating Spencer will be doing so “while following the utmost safety guidelines and protocols.”
Doctors and nurses will treat Spencer wearing specialized gear. Patient waste will be specially handled to prevent contamination.
“The chances of the average New Yorker contracting Ebola are extremely slim,” officials said. “Ebola is spread by directly touching the bodily fluids of an infected person. You cannot be infected simply be being near someone who has Ebola.”
Officials removed the door to Spencer’s building when they arrived on the scene, a witness told CBS 2.
Sources said Spencer went bowling last night in Williamsburg and took an Uber car to get there and back, 1010 WINS’ Carol D’Auria reported.
“I want to assure everyone in Northern Manhattan that City, State and Federal public health authorities are responding with the highest possible level of urgency and marshaling every resource at their disposal to respond to this possible case. I want to reiterate that this has not yet been confirmed as an Ebola case but every precaution is being taken as if it were,” said City Council Member Mark Levine (D-7th), who represents Spencer’s district. “For more information on Ebola prevention or if you think you’ve come in contact with the patient, please call 311.”
CBS 2’s Dr. Max Gomez emphasized that New Yorkers should remain calm. It has not yet been determined whether Spencer has Ebola, and Doctors Without Borders said he followed trained self-monitoring guidelines and reported himself to the Health Department as soon as he came down with a fever Friday morning.
Spencer would not have been contagious until he developed symptoms, Gomez said. Further, Ebola is not an airborne virus like a cold or the flu – it is only transmitted through bodily fluids such as blood, vomit, and feces.
Even if Spencer had some slight symptoms Wednesday night when he was out and about, he would have had to bleed or vomit to have any chance of spreading the virus – and then someone would have had to touch the bodily fluid and rub it into an open sore or his or her eyes, nose or mouth, Gomez said.
“The risk here is as close to zero as you can get,” Gomez said.
