Updated below.
A 5-year-old boy was being observed in isolation at New York City’s Bellevue Hospital after he returned Saturday to the United States from Guinea and experienced a 103-degree fever, ABC News reported.
The New York City Health Department said the child has not been tested for Ebola and is not under quarantine, according to the report.
Bellevue, which is a designated Ebola center, also houses Dr. Craig Spencer, the city’s first patient to test positive for the virus.
Update 9:04 a.m.: NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett says the boy is being tested for Ebola and the results are expected to be in by Monday afternoon.
Asked about the boy at Bellevue,
“by early afternoon we should know the result of the test” (Ebola) — @Morning_Joe
— Dr. Mary Bassett (@DrMaryTBassett) October 27, 2014
I am just glad to live in New York, a place where science is the religion of the medical community.
He’s “in isolation”, but not “under quarantine”. What’s the difference here?
“Isolation” usually refers to treatment in a medical facility, with special infection control precautions being taken to prevent cross-contamination that would put other patients at risk.
“Quarantine” usually refers to someone who is not seriously ill (but potentially infectious) being restricted from contact with others to prevent potential transmission. It doesn’t tend to involve the same degree of medical treatment as “isolation” and often takes place in a residential rather than medical setting.
what we’re finding out is that ebola may be not as fatal as advertised, just for poor africans with lack of access to good health care. so far, no americans have died from it.
i wonder what the social implications are? perhaps a cure could be within reach, but the financial incentive is not there since there’s not much money for whoever comes up with a solution to give the stuff for free to treat poor africans. it’s essentially their problem, until it’s not.
A 103 degree temperature in a child returned from Guinea would obviously raise Ebola concerns - and appropriate testing and infection control procedures are clearly called for.
But it is more likely to be something like malaria - even more common in West Africa - or dengue or other tropical infections.
Sounds like NY and Bellevue are handling this correctly. Hopefully it turns out to be something other than Ebola.