Returning Traveler from Ebola-Stricken W. Africa Quarantined in NYC

A man who recently returned from travel in West Africa, where the Ebola virus is rampant, has come down with a high fever and gastrointestinal symptoms it has been reported in Newsday and The New York Times.

The patient went to the emergency room at Mount Sinai Hospital late on Sunday. He has been quarantined and is in strict isolation while tests for the presence of the virus are being done.

A spokesperson for Mount Sinai has declined to reveal the name of the patient but has assured the public the hospital will “keep the community informed” of the patient’s diagnosis and prognosis as more is learned.

In a separate statement to hospital employees, Mount Sinai officials have said that the Ebola virus can only be transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids, and that infection control measures are being employed to protect patients and staff.