Updated Monday, Nov. 3—preliminary blood tests for the patient have come back negative.
A patient displaying potential symptoms of Ebola was admitted to Duke University Hospital Sunday.
Duke announced the news in a University-wide email Sunday evening, and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services held a press conference less than an hour later. The patient arrived in the United States from Liberia Friday, entering through Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, and showed no symptoms of the disease upon arrival in the U.S. The patient does not exhibit any symptoms other than fever and is currently isolated in a secure unit within Duke Hospital.
The patient arrived in North Carolina Saturday and developed a fever Sunday morning in Person County, approximately 40 minutes from Durham. The Center for Disease Control was notified and the individual was then transferred to Durham to be admitted to Duke Hospital. The patient's blood sample will be sent to the State Laboratory of Public Health in the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the result of the evaluation should come out Monday morning.
"The patient is receiving care from a seasoned team of Duke clinical professionals who volunteered for this service and have trained extensively for this possibility," Dr. William Fulkerson, executive vice president of Duke University Health System, wrote in the email. "We have anticipated this scenario for several weeks now, and a plan to manage it is in place."
North Carolina DHHS Secretary Dr. Aldona Wos said at the press conference that the patient's risk of exposure to others is believed to be "extremely low." She noted that Governor Pat McCrory has been fully briefed and that McCrory has conferred with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
DUHS spokespeople deferred comment to DUHS media relations specialist Sarah Avery, who declined to comment beyond the email.
Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for government affairs and public relations, likewise said that the University had no comment beyond the email.
A representative from the North Carolina DHHS said that the organization had no comment beyond the press conference.
For more information on Duke's Ebola readiness, see here.
Video courtesy of The News & Observer.
Rachel Chason and Emma Baccellieri contributed reporting.
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