A patient at a hospital in Sacramento, California, is undergoing tests for Ebola, officials confirmed Tuesday evening.
The suspected patient, who was admitted to the Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center, might have come in contact with the disease. Due to the gravity of the virus, the hospital is working with the United States Centers For Disease Control (CDC) and Sacramento County Division of Public Health, who will take blood samples and deliver a result in "several days", specialists say.
Speaking in a press release, one medical professional has said many extra steps will be taken to ensure safety for attending staff during this process. "In order to protect our patients, staff and physicians, even though infection with the virus is unconfirmed, we are taking the actions recommended by the CDC as a precaution, just as we do for other patients with a suspected infectious disease," Dr. Stephen Paroli, infectious disease specialist, said.
"This includes isolation of the patient in a specially equipped negative pressure room and the use of personal protective equipment by trained staff, coordinated with infectious disease specialists," he added.