There has not been a confirmed case of Ebola ever reported in the United States. Still, the recent outbreak in countries across West Africa has the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention setting forth new mandates. And Connecticut hospitals are paying attention.
Within the past month, St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford has treated two patients who presented symptoms of Ebola. Doctors didn’t rule out the virus because both patients had visited Africa within 21 days of their hospital visit. The incubation period for the virus is up to three weeks.
Patients with any symptoms of communicable diseases are immediately masked and isolated in what’s known as a negative pressure room.
“The air circulation is negative pressure. Nothing gets blown outside the room. It’s all internal and then filtered,” said Dr. Steven Wolf, chairman of the St. Francis Emergency Department.
The CDC reported yesterday that they had received 68 calls from 27 states reporting potential Ebola exposures. All but three were rapidly ruled out.
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