(Newswire.net — October 24, 2014) — According to the New York City Department of Health, Dr. Craig Spencer who recently returned from Ebola-stricken Guinea where he treated infected patients, suffered symptoms of the disease and was rushed to a New York City hospital on Thursday afternoon with all necessary precautions.
Preliminary test results show positive for the Ebola virus, however, the CDC will have to conduct further tests to confirm the initial result.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the city has had a “full coordinating effort that has been working literally night and day.” He added that 5,000 healthcare workers were being drilled on Ebola treatment.
Cuomo reassured New Yorkers that only five people had been in contact with the patient within the relevant period of time. The doctor acknowledged riding the subway and taking a cab to a Brooklyn bowling alley in the past week before showing any symptoms.
One of the four detected contacts, opted to be quarantined in a hospital, while the three others decided to stay under supervision at their homes, said Mary Bassett, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene commissioner.
Dr. Spencer went through all the screening procedures at John F. Kennedy International airport when he arrived, triggering no alert, because he did not have a fever or other symptoms of illness, CDC said.
“Although he did feel fatigue on October 21, he did not report a fever until Thursday.” the CDC added in a statement.
“Our understanding is that very few people were in direct contact with [Doctor],” NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said. However, New York City Councilor Mark Levine said earlier that authorities were discussing possible evacuation of the Harlem apartment building where he lived, as his apartment in Hamilton Heights is sealed-off.
Spencer was working in Guinea with the Doctors without Borders, but has been back in the US for 10 days. He quarantined himself after developing a high fever, said the Daily News.
New York’s John F. Kennedy airport was the first American airport to start conducting screenings on passengers coming from the three African countries stricken by the Ebola. Passengers are asked questions about potential exposure to Ebola, and have their temperature measured.