Doctor Who Treated Ebola in Guinea Being Tested for Virus in NYC
A doctor who returned from West Africa last week is being tested for Ebola at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan. Dr. Craig Spencer, who reportedly worked with Doctors Without Borders treating the deadly virus in Guinea, was rushed to the hospital earlier today after showing signs of a high fever and gastrointestinal problems.
"Today, EMS HAZ TAC Units transferred to Bellevue Hospital who presented a fever and gastrointestinal symptoms," New York City officials said in a statement. "The patient is a health care worker who returned to the U.S. within the past 21 days from one of the three countries currently facing the outbreak of this virus."
Spencer, who is a physician in his 30s and works with Doctors Without Borders, came back a week ago from Guinea, where he is believed to have been treating Ebola patients.
Just last night, Spencer apparently felt well enough to go out and took Uber to a bowling alley in Williamsburg. (Someone at Brooklyn Bowl, one of two bowling alleys in Williamsburg, told Animal NY that they're still open tonight; no one answered at Gutter, the other bowling alley in the Brooklyn neighborhood.)
BREAKING: Possible NYC #Ebola patient took Uber to Williamsburg bowling alley last night; authorities may quarantine his girlfriend -CNN
— Vaughn Sterling (@vplus) October 23, 2014
The New York Post reports that, as of this morning, Spencer had a 103-degree fever and was nauseous. (UPDATE: Health officials now say Spencer reported having a fever of 100.3-degrees Thursday morning, not 103; the initial confusion was due to a transcription error, according to the officials.)
Spencer's test results should available within 12 hours. In the meantime, health officials are working to identify all of the people he's had contact with over the past week.
"The Health Department staff has established protocols to identify, notify, and, if necessary, quarantine any contacts of Ebola cases," officials said in a statement, adding later: "The chances of the average New Yorker contracting Ebola are extremely slim."
Officials from the CDC are on their way to New York, where they'll assist with any treatment and collect samples to bring to CDC headquarters in Atlanta.
The videos below shows police escorting Spencer through Manhattan and health workers in protective suits outside of Bellevue.