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Reports of Ebola panic in Queensland lead health authorities to call for calm Reports of Ebola panic in Queensland before man cleared of contracting virus
(about 2 hours later)
Tourists have begun checking out of their accommodation and parents have pulled children out of schools in Queensland after a man was taken to hospital on Thursday morning suffering a suspected case of Ebola. A Gold Coast man suspected of contracting the deadly Ebola virus has been cleared.
Despite infectious disease experts saying the 27-year-old, who had recently returned from a trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was most likely suffering from malaria, not Ebola, the state’s chief health officer, Dr Jeannette Young, was forced to call for calm. Queensland Health confirmed on Thursday evening all blood tests taken from the 27-year-old had returned a negative result.
Even in the highly unlikely case it was Ebola, it probably would not spread, Young said. Earlier the state’s chief health officer, Dr Jeannette Young, had to call for calm following reports that tourists had begun checking out of their accommodation and parents had pulled children out of schools.
“The community needs to know that there is an extremely low risk of contracting Ebola, regardless of whether this man’s test results come back positive or negative later this evening,” she said. The man was taken to the Gold Coast University hospital from the Southport watch house on Thursday morning after complaining of feeling unwell.
Health authorities triggered contagious disease protocols after it was revealed he had returned from West Africa in late August, via Perth airport.
Young thanked all health and ambulance staff involved in handling the patient.
“It was a job well done and serves to show the community that our emergency preparedness plans are sound, and that they can rely on their health services,” she said in a statement.
Earlier, in response to social media reports of panic, Young said:
“The community needs to know that there is an extremely low risk of contracting Ebola, regardless of whether this man’s test results come back positive or negative.
“Ebola virus disease is not a highly contagious disease like the flu or a cold; it requires direct exposure to an infected person’s bodily fluids such as blood, vomit or faeces, during the time they are infectious.”“Ebola virus disease is not a highly contagious disease like the flu or a cold; it requires direct exposure to an infected person’s bodily fluids such as blood, vomit or faeces, during the time they are infectious.”
Social media reports and calls to health hotlines suggested people were cancelling holidays to Queensland, removing children from school and panicking, she said. Social media reports and calls to health hotlines had suggested people were cancelling holidays to Queensland, removing children from school and panicking, she said.
“Importantly, this patient doesn’t have a fever which is one of the first signs of Ebola virus infection, so it is very unlikely that he has Ebola virus from his history of where he’s been and also his symptoms,” she said. “There is absolutely no need for people to panic.”
“So there is absolutely no need for people to panic.” Associate professor Allen Cheng from the department of epidemiology and preventive medicine at Monash University said the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the man had travlled, was not where the primary outbreak of Ebola had occurred, and malaria was much more likely to be the cause of his symptoms.
Associate professor Allen Cheng from the department of epidemiology and preventive medicine at Monash University said the DRC was not where the primary outbreak of Ebola had occurred, and that malaria was much more likely.
Malaria, spread by mosquitoes, typically has symptoms including high fevers, shaking chills and flu-like symptoms similar to the initial signs of Ebola, Cheng said.Malaria, spread by mosquitoes, typically has symptoms including high fevers, shaking chills and flu-like symptoms similar to the initial signs of Ebola, Cheng said.
The bulk of Ebola cases were coming from Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.The bulk of Ebola cases were coming from Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
“The Congo is not where all the action is, there are some cases there but it’s a long way from the outbreak,” Cheng said.“The Congo is not where all the action is, there are some cases there but it’s a long way from the outbreak,” Cheng said.
“Ebola can look like a lot of other diseases and that’s first thing I’d be thinking of, that it could be malaria.“Ebola can look like a lot of other diseases and that’s first thing I’d be thinking of, that it could be malaria.
“I’m sure the Gold Coast hospital is testing for both, and they are right to be taking every precaution but I wouldn’t be panicking.”
Cheng was among experts to warn doctors last month that Australian hospital staff should not to become so concerned about detecting cases of the Ebola virus that they failed to recognise other concerning, but more common, diseases in their patients.Cheng was among experts to warn doctors last month that Australian hospital staff should not to become so concerned about detecting cases of the Ebola virus that they failed to recognise other concerning, but more common, diseases in their patients.
Gold Coast Health confirmed the patient had been put into isolation.
An initial clinical assessment had determined Ebola was “exceedingly unlikely”.