Passenger from Sierra Leone cleared of Ebola

0
61

An isolation room at Westmead Hospital.

An isolation room at Westmead Hospital. Photo: NSW Health

A passenger off a flight from west Africa placed in isolation at a Sydney hospital has tested negative for Ebola.

Dr Jeremy McAnulty, acting chief health officer at NSW Health, said the patient has remained well and had no further fever while at Westmead Hospital in the city’s west.

“Experts have reviewed the person and are satisfied there is no indication of Ebola virus disease, and that no further testing is required,” he said.

The patient, whose gender and age have not been released, was taken to Westmead after undergoing routine screening at Sydney Airport having returned from Sierra Leone and experiencing low fever.

The patient will be discharged from Westmead on Thursday evening and follow the usual arrangements for travellers returning from west Africa, including monitoring by the local public health unit up to 21 days after departure.

Australian health workers began heading to west Africa in late November to help fight Ebola at a treatment centre funded by the Australian government.

The disease has killed more than 7500 since an outbreak earlier this year, according to the World Health Organisation.