Patient At Inglewood Hospital Did Not Meet Criteria For Ebola Virus, Health Officials Say
INGLEWOOD (CBSLA.com/AP) — A patient taken to Centinela Hospital in Inglewood did not meet the criteria for the Ebola virus, public health officials said Wednesday evening.
The unidentified patient from Liberia was taken to the hospital by ambulance from Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday after exhibiting flu-like symptoms.
"Ambulance personnel alerted the hospital prior to arrival so upon entry to the hospital campus, all CDC precautions were fully implemented," Centinela spokesman Steve Brand said.
However, it remained unclear whether the patient was released from the hospital and what tests were conducted.
Authorities would only say they're confident the patient does not have the virus, which has killed more than 3,400 people worldwide.
A Liberian man hospitalized with Ebola in Dallas died Wednesday morning.
Another patient, a freelance cameraman, remains hospitalized in Nebraska with the virus. He was receiving an experimental drug called brincidofovir, an oral medication developed to fight several other viruses. Laboratory tests suggested it may also work against Ebola.
Public health officials late Wednesday said there were no confirmed or suspected cases of the Ebola virus in Los Angeles County.
In the meantime, they say, Ebola virus symptoms may resemble flu-like symptoms and with flu season approaching, they expect to do more testing. However, one of the determining factors will be the country the patient visited.
"What occurred today at Centinela Hospital is not unexpected and we expect more things like this will occur in the future," Jeff Guzenhauser with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health told CBS2's Serene Branson.
(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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