A potential Ebola exposure incident at an urgent-care facility in Manhattan led to the immediate hospitalization of two patients by emergency personnel clad in hazmat suits on Sunday. However, sources suggest that the infection may actually be related to norovirus.
The patients were swiftly transported from a CityMD located on East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue by first responders donning hazmat suits, as reported by law enforcement sources. The individuals in question had recently traveled from Uganda and displayed symptoms resembling those of Ebola, such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, and internal and external bleeding.
Although initial concerns revolved around the possibility of Ebola infections due to the patients’ travel history and symptoms, no definitive tests had confirmed the presence of the virus, according to the sources. Subsequently, health officials indicated that the illness had quickly spread among family members, leading to suspicions that it might be more likely attributable to norovirus.
The patients were subsequently transferred to Bellevue Hospital for comprehensive testing and further medical assessment, the sources disclosed. Following the incident, the CityMD facility was reopened, and first responders were authorized to resume their duties using basic Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Ebola, a highly contagious virus transmitted through contact with bodily fluids of an infected individual or contaminated materials, typically manifests as a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever. The symptoms of Ebola, encompassing fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, and potential internal and external bleeding, bear similarities to those of norovirus, albeit the latter is not considered as lethal.
