Testing confirms negative result for Ebola patient at Duke University Hospital
DURHAM (WTVD) -- A second test of a new blood sample provided by a patient at Duke University Hospital in Durham has resulted in a confirmed negative diagnosis for Ebola.
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Over the weekend, the person who had traveled from Liberia to Timberlake in Person County to visit family was place in isolation at Duke University Hospital.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that the patient did not start showing symptoms until arriving at his family's home in Timberlake. That was Sunday morning. At that time, he felt feverish and contacted health authorities. He then registered a temperature of 101.9.
Since then, he was in isolation and his family has been quarantined inside their home in Timeberlake - since they were with him when he developed symptoms.
On Monday, the patient tested negative for Ebola in the first round of testing. Then, health officials had to wait 72 hours to run a second test, which came came negative Wednesday evening.
A statement from DHHS said: "The patient has been in good condition since admission to Duke on November 2 and was discharged after the latest negative result was received. Additionally, the precautionary quarantine and monitoring measures for the individuals who had contact with the patient once the fever was registered on Sunday have ceased."
"We are obviously very pleased that the patient's confirmatory test was negative for Ebola," said NC DHHS Secretary Aldona Wos. "I am extremely pleased with the collaboration between the state, federal and local governments and Duke University Hospital. However, we must continue to prepare for the possibility that an individual in North Carolina might be diagnosed with Ebola while the outbreak is still occurring in West Africa."
Anyone who becomes ill or develops a fever within 21 days after traveling to an affected area in West Africa should contact the CDC, their local health care provider or public health department.
