As health officials downplay concerns about an Ebola outbreak in the US, six people have been quietly tested across the country for the deadly virus, according to a report.
In addition to patients isolated in New York, Atlanta and Ohio, there were six other patients tested without the public’s knowledge, according to a CNN report.
The tests were negative.
“There have been about a half a dozen patients who have had their blood tested because of concern, those particular patients their stories were not made public,” said CNN’s chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. “I’m not sure if that’s because of heightened concern by the hospital or what that means exactly.”
City and state health department officials said that only one patient has been tested for the disease in New York. He has been isolated since Monday. Results could come back Wednesday.
“The patient, who remains in isolation, was stable overnight and in good spirits,” a hospital statement said.
“No other patients have presented with similar symptoms and travel history to West Africa. We will continue to work closely with federal, state and city health officials to address and monitor this case, keep the community informed and provide the best quality care to all of our patients.”
The Mt. Sinai case has other hospital patients on edge.
“I’m kind of suspect about going in here right now,” said Willie Westone, 37, of Harlem, who brought his 6-year-old son to the emergency room with a stomach bug.
“A guy walks in here with Ebola. I’m not a fan of this, but my son needs medicine. I’m trying to get his paperwork transferred. I can’t take any risks like this.”
Meanwhile, a woman in Columbus, Ohio, was tested for the Ebola virus after returning from a trip to a West African country plagued by the outbreak, according to NBC.
The woman, 46, was in isolation at a local hospital after showing symptoms of the disease. Her test came back negative.
Medical teams have been on high alert since a missionary working in Liberia contracted the disease and came to the US for treatment.
Kent Brantly, 33, a doctor, was immediately isolated in an Atlanta hospital Saturday. A second Ebola-stricken worker, nurse Nancy Writebol, 58, was isolated in the same ward Tuesday.
Officials said they both showed improvement after being treated with an experimental drug that had been tested only with mice.
Brantly and Writebol are being treated by infectious disease specialists at Emory University Hospital, according to Christian missionary group SIM USA.