Dive Brief:
- Over the past three weeks, hospitals in 27 states have reported 68 potential cases of the deadly virus Ebola.
- Trying to be cautious during the outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the hospitals alerted the Centers for Disease Control of the potential infections. Of those reported, 58 were found to be false alarms after the CDC spoke with hospital staff about patient exposure and symptoms. Ten blood samples were sent to the CDC, seven of which have tested negative.
- The first step the CDC takes when working with hospitals is to find out about the patient's background to see if blood tests are necessary. Some patients may have symptoms, but have had no potential exposure.
Dive Insight:
There is a lot of misinformation circling around about Ebola, what it is and how it is spread. Last week, the FDA warned consumers not to believe scammers attempting to hawk fake drugs for the disease online. The agency has reportedly received multiple complaints about fake Ebola products. In a statement, the agency emphasized that none of the experimental Ebola treatments being used today are available for purchase on the Internet.
That kind of misinformation, coupled with medical professionals who have claimed they are suffering from a lack of resources, has proven a challenge in diagnosing cases. The CDC has reiterated that even patients with symptoms have to have had some of close contact with people who have been exposed to the virus.
Want to read more? You may enjoy this story about how Emory University Hospital in Atlanta prepared for the two Ebola patients it has cared for.