WATCH LIVE: Hospital officials: Kansas City patient at risk for Ebola
Posted: Oct 13, 2014 5:16 PM CDT
Updated: Oct 13, 2014 5:39 PM CDT
By Chris Oberholtz, Multimedia ProducerCONNECT
KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV) -
Hospital officials in Kansas City say a patient at risk for Ebola is in strict isolation.
By MARILYNN MARCHIONE
AP Chief Medical Writer
The University of Kansas Hospital reports an individual called and then came into the hospital early Monday morning with a high fever and other serious symptoms.
Because the patient had recently worked on a medical boat off the west coast of Africa, the patient was immediately isolated on a special infectious disease unit and is undergoing tests.
Hospital staff met the patient wearing personal protection equipment and followed the hospital's plan for this kind of illness.
Tests are underway to determine a diagnosis.
While the hospital cannot rule out Ebola at this time, Dr. Lee Norman, chief medical officer of The University of Kansas Hospital, says the patient is at low to moderate risk of Ebola.
Norman said there are many other diseases that fit the patient's symptoms, and the hospital is following guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control.
Care is being provided by a dedicated team of nurses and other health professionals.
The staff will not treat other patients during this period until diagnosis and treatment plans are completed, the hospital said.
The hospital is in close contact with federal, state and local health officials.
Regardless of the diagnosis, hospital officials said the patient is in an isolated area of the hospital and does not pose a health risk to other patients, staff or visitors in the hospital.
The area has its own ventilation system. All bedding and medical waste is being isolated from the regular hospital material under federal CDC and state transportation guidelines, the hospital said.
No other information on the patient is available due to federal privacy laws.
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