UPDATE: SA man tests negative for ebola
PARKTOWN – The Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital in Parktown is conducting a battery of tests for the ebola virus on a South African who arrived from Liberia.
UPDATE: 3pm – Ebola tests on the 37-year-old man who had arrived in the country from Liberia, have come back negative, the Department of Health announced.
The South African man was being tested at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital in Parktown.
“The condition of the patient is stable and the results of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) are negative,” the Department said
“As of now, there are no cases of Ebola virus in the country, but should this situation change, the public will be notified”
“The Department of Health remains on the alert with regard to the Ebola virus, which presently, has killed hundreds of people in Western Africa.”
The department said there were a number of measures in place at various ports of entry into the country. Medical institutions like the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital are also ready to deal with persons who may have been infected.
Initial report: 18 August 2014, 10:35am – The 37-year-old man was reportedly working as a health and safety officer at a mining operation in Liberia, which has been hit hard by the outbreak of the deadly virus.
More than 1 000 people in West Africa have since died of the virus since the outbreak in March.
“Indeed there is somebody who is a South African who stays here and happened to come back home from working in Liberia,” department of health spokesperson, Joe Maila told the SABC. “He came back but unfortunately fell ill and therefore his fever is of interest to us and we are checking that.”
The man who is from Carltonville on the West Rand is expected to undergo a series of tests and results are expected to be released on 18 August.
The patient reportedly had increased blood pressure which prompted concern. He is currently at an isolation ward at the hospital which is dedicated to deal with the virus if there were an outbreak in the country.
Related article: Precautions taken to prevent Ebola in SA
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