DENVER PATIENT TESTS NEGATIVE FOR EBOLA VIRUS

Man who returned from Congo, three staffers all released from isolation

A man who fell ill after returning from eastern Congo as a medical missionary has been removed from isolation, according to health officials

A man who fell ill after a recent trip to eastern Congo has been removed from isolation after tests came back negative for the deadly Ebola virus, health officials said on Monday.

Three members of the ambulance crew are also out of precautionary isolation.

Denver Health and Hospitals requested the Ebola tests after the man reported severe symptoms at his Denver residence on Sunday. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued a bulletin late Sunday confirming that the tests are “negative for Ebola.”

The man reported his symptoms after working as a medical missionary in a part of Congo that recently experienced an outbreak of Ebola. He arrived at the hospital at about 8:30 a.m. by ambulance and doctors set up a special isolation unit to assess his condition.

Ebola is a rare and deadly disease that can result in symptoms such as fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, stomach pain and diarrhea. The virus is transmitted through direct contact with an infected animal or person, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Congo, the recent outbreak of Ebola has largely dissipated and no new cases of the virus have been reported in the past 45 days. As of July 24, the outbreak has led to about 54 cases of Ebola, including 33 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

In 2014, the organization detected an Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone that resulted in more than 28,600 cases and more than 11,300 deaths.

Denver Health staffers are trained to handle infectious diseases, and the CDC has designated Denver’s hospital as one of 10 in the nation that can treat patients with Ebola.

Denver officials coordinated with the CDC and state health officials on assessing the risks in this recent case.

After the patient arrived at the hospital, Denver Health temporarily diverted ambulances away from the hospital. But by noon Sunday, the hospital said it had resumed normal operations and that there was no threat or concern for patients, staff and visitors.

The man — and the three members of the ambulance crew — were removed from isolation Sunday night after the hospital received the final test results, said Jennifer Hillmann, a spokesperson for Denver Health.

The hospital has not determined what condition the man has, but Hillmann said he is in fair condition and “doing better.”