Possible Ebola case in Hawaii

SUBHEAD: But because we have concerns regarding Ebola we are taking all the precautions necessary.

By Jade Storms on 1 October 2014 for KHNL News -
(http://m.hawaiinewsnow.com/hawaiinewsnow/db_330510/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=qusm3hpK)


Image above: Sign and logo for Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. From (https://kinialohaguy.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/).

The Hawaii Department of Health says a patient at a local hospital in Honolulu was placed into isolation on Wednesday, and officials have not ruled out the possibility that the individual may have contracted the Ebola virus.

A patient who checked into the hospital on Wednesday morning is currently undergoing testing for several conditions, Health Department officials said. The patient had not yet been tested for the Ebola virus late Wednesday afternoon, and any tests for the virus would need to be sent to the U.S. mainland for analysis before any confirmation could be made, according to the Department of Health.

"We have not definitively said, we don't know why this person is ill," said Dr. Melissa Viray of the Department of Health in Hawaii.
"But because we have concerns regarding Ebola as a possibility, even as a distant one, [the hospital] is taking all the precautions necessary to keep people safe."

Hospitals across the state have been briefed by the Department of Health about standing operating procedure from the Centers for Disease Control in the event of a possible Ebola case, Dr. Viray says.

The Department of Health would not confirm that the patient had traveled to or from West Africa in recent weeks, but did reiterate that Ebola was just one of several conditions the man was being or would be tested for.

On Tuesday, a man in Texas who had recently arrived in the U.S. from Liberia became the first person on American soil to be diagnosed with the Ebola virus. The Associated Press reported Wednesday that the man was sent home from a Dallas-area emergency room last week despite having told a hospital employee that he had recently traveled to the United States from West Africa.

The Queen's Medical Center released the following statement on the patient's condition early Wednesday evening:
The Queen's Medical Center is evaluating a patient for possible symptoms that may be consistent with Ebola.
Queen's wants to underscore that at this time, the patient's history and clinical presentations do not appear to be consistent with Ebola and the patient may be diagnosed with a number of conditions other than Ebola. However, due to the heightened scope of awareness of Ebola, Queen's is taking extra precautionary measures to ensure the safety of patients, physicians, hospital staff, volunteers and visitors. This includes placing the patient in isolation.
Queen's is working closely with the Hawaii State Department of Health to help ensure we care for the patient and protect our community in line with the guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control.
Ebola is a severe, often fatal disease. Early symptoms include sudden fever, fatigue and headache. Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure.
The Ebola virus is spread through direct contact with blood, secretions or other bodily fluids or exposure to contaminated objects, such as needles. Ebola is not contagious until symptoms appear.
Queen's is bound by patient confidentiality and cannot share any information about the status of the patient.



Ebola Bad for Tourism

By Staff on 2 October 2014 for Global Travel Industry News -  
(http://mobile.dudamobile.com/site/eturbonews1)

Tourism is the largest business, tax earner and employment source as well as the largest export for the isolated US State of Hawaii located in the Pacific Ocean 2500 miles west from the California coast line.

The Hawaii Department of Health has confirmed a patient is currently in the hospital and surprisingly was not isolated for most of the day. According to a local news-report the patient was moved to the isolation ward late afternoon Hawaii time. This patient is undergoing testing at Queens Medical Center in Honolulu for the Ebola Virus.

Cedric Yamanaka, Director, Corporate Communications, The Queen’s Medical Center told eTN: "Queen’s is bound by patient confidentiality and cannot share any information regarding the status of any of our patients.”He referred all other questions to the State of Hawaii Health Department.
Janice Okubo spokesperson for the Hawaii Health Department told eTN it was too early to comment. When asked what flights this person was on when arriving from Africa, the spokesperson did not deny, but said: "Before we can release such information, we need to be sure Ebola is involved. This patient could have other illnesses."

Officially she provided this official statement from the Hawaii State Department of Health:

The Hawaii State Department of Health is evaluating a patient in isolation at a Honolulu hospital for possible symptoms that may be consistent with Ebola. The department was notified today of the case and is in the preliminary stages of an investigation into the travel history and clinical presentation of the individual. The patient is still undergoing evaluation and may be diagnosed with a number of conditions other than Ebola. The department is working closely with the hospital which is following all precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of patients, staff, and the community.

Ebola is a severe disease that can be fatal. Early symptoms include sudden fever, fatigue and headache. Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure. Ebola virus is spread through direct contact with blood, secretions or other bodily fluids or exposure to contaminated objects, such as needles. Ebola is not contagious until symptoms appear.

At this time, the department is not releasing any additional information on the patient or the patient’s status. The department will provide an update tomorrow or as new information becomes available.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority was not be able for comments after business hours.

Queens is the largest hospital in the State of Hawaii with excellent state of the art facilities.
Hawaii Health Officials told KHON2 TV news in Honolulu, Ebola is a possibility, however the patient has yet to be specifically tested for the virus.

Two major red flags are if the patient has a fever and if he or she has been to West Africa in the past 21 days, officials said. The Health Department of the State is quiet and would not yet confirm if this applies to the patient.

The Health department said it was notified Wednesday morning and is still in the early stages of investigation. The public including tourists visiting the Aloha State should not be concerned at this point.

According to experts this patient could have a number of illnesses including Ebola, flu, malaria and typhoid.


See also:
Ea O Ka Aina: Ebola in United States 10/1/14
Ea O Ka Aina: Ebola may be airborne in cold 9/16/14
.

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