Ebola-like symptoms seen in 2 people isolated in Ottawa, Belleville
Two people with Ebola-like symptoms are in isolation after showing up separately at hospitals in Ottawa and Belleville, Ont.
One patient arrived at The Ottawa Hospital's General campus on Sunday and was immediately placed in isolation, Ottawa Public Health confirmed to CBC News on Monday.
The patient had recently visited a West African country where Ebola has been reported.
Samples from the patient have been sent to the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg for testing, and results are expected by 6 p.m. ET Monday.
The patient is "doing well" and under observation, the hospital said in a news release.
The hospital received a call before the patient arrived to allow staff to prepare for the arrival, and special steps are being taken at the hospital to protect staff and other patients.
The person's age and gender are not being released to protect their privacy, the hospital said.
"All necessary precautions are being taken to ensure the safety of other patients, visitors and hospital staff," said Dr. Jonathan Angel, an infectious disease specialist at the hospital, in a news release. "Strict infection prevention and control measures in Ontario hospitals means the risk of Ebola to other patients and health-care workers is minimal."
Belleville case extremely low risk, hospital says
In the other case, a male showed up at the Belleville General Hospital's emergency room with Ebola-like symptoms late Sunday night.
The patient had recently made one stopover in an airport in Sierra Leone, and the hospital described the case as extremely low risk.
Within four minutes of his arrival at the Belleville hospital, he was placed in isolation, and no other patients in the ER had contact with him, the hospital said.
A news conference is expected to be held in Belleville at 2:30 p.m. ET Monday.
