Tulsa Hospital Releases New Information About Patient Being Monitored

A Tulsa hospital has released new information about the patient being closely watched for the Ebola virus. 

Friday, October 31st 2014, 6:48 am

By: News 9

Tulsa Hospital Releases New Information About Patient Being Monitored

A Tulsa hospital has released new information about the patient being closely watched for the Ebola virus.

Early Friday morning a spokesperson with OSU Medical Center in Tulsa confirmed to News 9 that workers who are caring for the patient are wearing full body protected gear.

The spokesperson also said the patient did not make contact with any other patients at the facility upon arrival at the hospital on Thursday.

When asked about the test results, the spokesperson said there it was unknown when the results would come back.

Health officials in Tulsa have been monitoring the individual, who has recently returned from Ebola-infected countries in Africa, for the virus.

The Tulsa Health Department issued a press release regarding the situation just after 8 p.m. Thursday. According to that release, the individual informed health officials in Tulsa that they had developed a fever late Thursday evening.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) post-arrival monitoring guidelines, the traveler is classified as "low risk". Health officials say the person had traveled to Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone within the past 21 days, but did not have any known exposure to Ebola.

OSU Medical Center in Tulsa is treating this individual. Officials have not said exactly when the traveler returned from West Africa, but they do say they have been monitoring this individual daily over the 21-day surveillance period.

Health officials stress the fact that the person did not provide care for or have any contact with anyone infected with the Ebola virus, and has a very low risk of infection, based on CDC standards.