New York City may have its first Ebola case — but don't freak out
A man who recently traveled to West Africa was admitted to the emergency room in Manhattan's Mount Sinai Hospital late Sunday with a high fever and gastrointestinal problems, symptoms that are consistent with the Ebola virus.
The patient, whom The New York Times did not identify out of respect for his privacy, is currently being tested for the virus in isolation. The hospital would not elaborate on which country he had traveled to, what he was doing there, or if he was exposed to the virus while in the region.
"We will continue to work closely with federal, state, and city health officials to address and monitor this case, keep the community informed, and provide the best quality care to all of our patients," Dorie Klissas, a spokesperson for the hospital, told The New York Times. "All necessary steps are being taken to ensure the safety of all patients, visitors and staff."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Even if the Mount Sinai patient ends up being diagnosed with Ebola, though, Americans shouldn't panic about the potential spread of this dangerous disease. While Ebola isn't exactly innocuous, it's far less contagious than other diseases with serious epidemic potential, like bird flu or MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome). And since Ebola can only be transmitted through bodily fluids like blood, vomit, and feces — not through coughing or sneezing — it's unlikely that anyone who isn't a health-care worker would come into contact with the disease.
In fact, many of the reasons for Ebola's deadly spread are sociocultural. Doctors in countries like Sierra Leone and Liberia have never experienced outbreaks of the disease before, and therefore may not be trained in how to diagnose and treat it. Some Africans also must bury their dead on their own, meaning they may contract the disease while laying a family member to rest.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Samantha Rollins is TheWeek.com's news editor. She has previously worked for The New York Times and TIME and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
-
5 sleeper hit cartoons about Trump's struggles to stay awake in court
Cartoons Artists take on courtroom tranquility, war on wokeness, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The true story of Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
In depth The writer's fall from grace with his high-flying socialite friends in 1960s Manhattan is captured in a new Disney+ series
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
Scottie Scheffler: victory for the 'pre-eminent golfer of this era'
Why Everyone's Talking About Masters victory is Scheffler's second in three years
By The Week Staff Published
-
Texas dairy worker gets bird flu from infected cow
Speed Read The virus has been spreading among cattle in Texas, Kansas, Michigan and New Mexico
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Dengue hits the Americas hard and early
Speed Read Puerto Rico has declared an epidemic as dengue cases surge
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US bans final type of asbestos
Speed Read Exposure to asbestos causes about 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Seattle Children's Hospital sues Texas over 'sham' demand for transgender medical records
Speed Read Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton subpoenaed records of any Texan who received gender-affirming care at the Washington hospital
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Afghanistan has a growing female suicide problem
Speed Read The Taliban has steadily whittled away women's and girls' rights in Afghanistan over the past 2 years, prompting a surge in depression and suicide
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US life expectancy rose in 2022 but not to pre-pandemic levels
Speed Read Life expectancy is slowly crawling back up
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Vallance diaries: Boris Johnson 'bamboozled' by Covid science
Speed Read Then PM struggled to get his head around key terms and stats, chief scientific advisor claims
By The Week UK Published
-
An increasing number of dog owners are 'vaccine hesitant' about rabies
Speed Read A new survey points to canine vaccine hesitancy
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published