Here’s What We Don’t Know About the Potential Ebola Case at MGH (And What We Do)
A patient at Massachusetts General Hospital who recently visited Liberia in a “non-medical capacity’’ has tested negative for Ebola and tested positive for malaria, health officials said. Further testing is needed to conclusively rule out Ebola, but officials said there is a “reasonable likelihood’’ it is negative.
Officials have not released many details about the patient, but there were some answers available for more general questions about what happens next. The next important step will be any preliminary findings from the tests being conducted. Final, conclusive results could take up to three days to process.
Here’s what we DON’T yet know about the case:
• Where has the patient been since potentially contracting the virus?
• Who is the patient being monitored for possible Ebola at MGH?
Dr. David Hooper, chief of the MGH Infection Cntrol Unit, consistently referred to the patient as a “he.’’ The man “served in an administrative role’’ in Liberia, Hooper said, and had no contact with medical patients there.
Officials declined to release information on where or with whom the patient worked. The Boston Public Health Commission had been doing “routine monitoring’’ on the patient since returning from Liberia three weeks ago.
• Is this person an American or a refugee?
Health officials on Tuesday and Wednesday would not discuss many personal details about the patient or specifics about his case. However, officials did say the patient met the Center for Disease Control’s criteria for a “person under investigation’’ of Ebola.
“This definition involves the possibility of travel to where Ebola is present, the possibility of exposure to that virus, and symptoms that are consistent with that virus,’’ he said.
Hospitals follow the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention’s “Emergency Response Activation Levels’’ to monitor and detect possible cases of Ebola.
Here’s what we DO know:
• Is there anyone else being monitored by MGH?
According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, there are no cases of Ebola in Massachusetts.
“Over the past several months, DPH has worked with area hospitals on investigations of Ebola and they have all been quickly ruled out. DPH will only be reporting confirmed cases,’’ said DPH spokesperson Anne Roach.
• How long will the testing take?
The initial test that came up negative for Ebola was released just after noon on Wednesday. Further results will come back on a staggered scheduled, an MGH official said. While the timing changes on a case by base, Biddinger said conclusive results could take between 48-72 hours.
• What happens if the case is confirmed as Ebola?
According to MGH’s November 17 Ebola information sheet, “A patient with Ebola is ‘isolated,’ or kept away from other people, except the doctors, nurses, and therapists providing care. Patients with Ebola are provided with supportive care, including fluids and electrolytes, oxygen, and medications for low blood pressure and other infections if needed.’’
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