UPDATE: Man in Saskatoon hospital tests negative for Ebola
SASKATOON – A man who recently travelled overseas is seriously ill in a Saskatoon hospital.
On Monday, Saskatchewan public health officials advised that a man had taken a trip to western Africa and now has a high fever and other symptoms.
Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Denise Werker said he may have a case of Ebola hemorrhagic fever.
There is fear an outbreak of the Ebola virus has spread to Liberia, where the man was travelling. An Ebola epidemic has been confirmed in Guinea where more than 50 people have died.
Specimens have been sent to the National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) in Manitoba and lab results are expected back on Tuesday.
Measures have been taken to isolate the patient in the hospital to ensure the ailment is not transmitted.
Health workers caring for the man are wearing masks, gowns, gloves and boots.
Hemorrhagic fevers are spread through contact with a sick person’s bodily fluids — one of the final symptoms is bleeding from the mouth and eyes.
“There is no risk to the general public at all about this incident,” said Werker.
“We recognized that there’s going to be a fair amount of concern and that’s why we wanted to go public with this as soon as possible and dispel some of those myths that are out there.”
The World Health Organization says Ebola is one of the most virulent viral diseases – and there is no cure.
The Saskatoon hospital administering care is not being revealed for privacy reasons.
With files from The Canadian Press
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