What We Know So Far
• A 5-year-old boy at Bellevue Hospital in New York City tests negative for Ebola. • CDC releases updated regulations for monitoring people exposed to Ebola. • Doctors Without Borders nurse who was quarantined in New Jersey is released. • Nurse said her basic human rights were violated due to mandatory quarantines established in New Jersey on Friday. • Gov. Andrew Cuomo, under pressure, loosened New York's quarantine regulations, while Gov. Christie said he was standing by the stricter measures.
Updates
Maryland patient tested negative for Ebola.
Thanks to all the MD public health and health care workers who responded quickly and safely to traveler who turned out *not* to have #ebola
The patient admitted to the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore Monday evening tested negative for Ebola, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said Tuesday morning.
The U.S. Army has placed soldiers returning from an Ebola response mission in West Africa into "controlled monitoring" for 21 days, a statement said.
The move was made as a precaution to "ensure soldiers, family members and their surrounding communities are confident that we are taking all steps necessary to protect their health."
CNN first reported that Major General Darryl A. Williams and about 10 other troops were being held in an effective quarantine in Italy after assisting in the Ebola response in Liberia.
About 700 U.S. service members are currently in West Africa, and their numbers could grow to 3,900 in coming weeks, the Department of Defense said.
The University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore isolated a patient Monday evening for Ebola testing, officials said. The hospital is one of three in the state designated to receive Ebola patients.
UMMC has accepted a transfer at the direction of DHMH (Public Health) of a potential Ebola patient for further assessment.
5-year-old boy at Bellevue Hospital tests negative for Ebola; will remain in isolation pending further test results
The New York City Department of Health and NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation issued the following statement:
Today, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted a test for the Ebola virus on a minor patient who had been transferred to HHC Bellevue Hospital Center last night. This patient developed a fever this morning while under observation at the hospital, and had been in one of the three Ebola epidemic countries in ‎West Africa within the past 21 days.The result of the test is negative. Out of an abundance of caution, further negative Ebola tests are required on subsequent days to ensure that the patient is cleared. The patient will also be tested for common respiratory viruses. The patient will remain in isolation until all test results have returned.
Because of the heightened alert, hospitals will be using enhanced scrutiny and an abundance of caution when reviewing questionable cases, and are meticulously following all public health and CDC protocols. The Health Department is also working closely with HHC leadership, Bellevue's clinical team and the New York State Department of Health.
The chances of the average New Yorker contracting Ebola are extremely slim. Ebola is spread by directly touching the bodily fluids of an infected person. You cannot be infected simply by being near someone who has Ebola.
Gov. Cuomo has some suggestions for people stuck in mandatory Ebola quarantine:
According to Capital New York's Jimmy Vielkind:
"I'm asking those people who were in contact with infected people: stay at home for 21 days. We will pay."
"Enjoy your family, enjoy your friends, read a book—read my book—you don't have to read my book, but stay at home for 21 days."
Gov. Christie insists he didn't change his mind on his quarantine policy.
View this video on YouTube
The New Jersey governor's press office sent out a news release highlighting his remarks Monday that he "didn’t reverse any decision" regarding the release of nurse Hickox.
Nurse Kaci Hickox has been released from her quarantine tent in New Jersey, ABC News reports.
UPDATE: Nurse Kaci Hickox released from quarantine, has left New Jersey hospital - @AaronKatersky http://t.co/uTla8P6NR9
Governor Christie maintained that Hickox had a fever after returning from West Africa on Friday, a claim she denies:
According to a statement by the New Jersey Department of Health that Christie tweeted:
"Since testing negative for Ebola early Saturday morning, the patient being monitored in isolation has thankfully been symptom free for the last 24 hours. After being evaluated by CDC and her clinicians the patient is being discharged."
Officials said they consulted with her, and she requested transportation to Maine, where she lives. Christie said the transport would be on private, not public, means. She'll remain in quarantine while in New Jersey.
Hickox was admitted Friday and "was initially found to have no symptoms, but later developed a fever" – which the nurse said is not true and that she was tested twice.
According to Christie, who was speaking at an unrelated event: "I don't think she's tested negative twice." He added, "I understand that she didn't want to be there — she made that very clear from the beginning, but my obligation is to all the people of New Jersey."
"While in isolation, every effort was made to insure that she remained comfortable..." (cont) @NJDeptofhealth
"...with access to a computer, cell phone, reading material and nourishment of choice." - @NJDeptofhealth
The 5-year-old boy developed a fever around 7 a.m. ET Monday and was tested for Ebola.
His test results are expected in the next 12 hours, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation said in a statement.
The Health Department's team of "disease detectives" has also started to actively trace all of the patient's contacts to identify anyone who may be at potential risk.
From the statement:
The patient developed a fever while at the hospital at approximately 7:00 am this morning. After consulting with the hospital and CDC, DOHMH decided to conduct a test for the Ebola virus, because of this patient's recent travel history and pattern of symptoms. DOHMH and HHC are also evaluating the patient for other causes of illness in children.
Christie says he will likely release nurse Kaci Hickox from her New Jersey quarantine tent:
Gov. Christie said he'll work with medical officials to make sure it's OK for Kaci Hickox to go home to Maine and can be transported safely.
Gov. Christie said of course no one wants to be in a hospital but given some time to reflect, she'll understand why it had to happen.
As always, his No. 1 priority is to protect the people of his state, Gov. Christie said.
On her negative Ebola tests, Gov. Christie said he did not believe that to be true. Not clear if he was talking about the test or results.
I submit to you the softer side of Chris Christie.
Are mandatory quarantines for Ebola patients illegal?
A Georgetown law professor believes so, according to the Washington Post:
Lawrence Gostin, a law professor at Georgetown University who has been in touch with Hickox about her legal options, said he thought the quarantine order was illegal and unconstitutional. He noted that since you can't catch Ebola from someone unless they are both infected and showing symptoms, Hickox poses no danger to the public. "The courts are very suspicious when you deny a whole class of people their liberty," he said. "She's being detained because she's a member of a large class of people who happened to have been in the region."
On Friday New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered mandatory quarantines for anyone returning from Ebola-stricken nations in West Africa.
That led to the quarantine — in a tent inside a building adjacent to a New Jersey hospital — of Doctors Without Borders nurse Kaci Hickox, who has shown no signs of having Ebola. Her confinement, she said, was a violation of her human rights.
Christie defended the policy, and similar measures were taken up by several other governors. Cuomo loosened the quarantine amid pressure from the White House and health officials.
A 5-year-old boy is undergoing tests for Ebola.
The child arrived at Bellevue Hospital in New York City on Sunday with a "100-point-something"-degree fever, Health Department Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said on MSNBC's Morning Joe on Monday.
The boy had recently returned from Guinea, she said, and had a low-grade fever.
The test results are expected later in the day, she added.
Asked about the boy at Bellevue, "by early afternoon we should know the result of the test" (Ebola) -- @Morning_Joe