On Sunday, Feb. 16, a suspected Ebola exposure at a Manhattan urgent-care center alarmed the officials, prompting two patients to be whisked to the hospital by emergency responders wearing full hazmat suits.
However, after investigation and testing, it turned out that the dreaded Ebola was not responsible for the illness. Rather, it was probably norovirus, a highly infectious stomach bug that has some symptoms in common with Ebola but is not fatal.
What Went Down at the Manhattan Urgent-Care Center?
According to The New York Post, the incident occurred at a CityMD urgent-care center on East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene when reports of two patients with symptoms that sparked fears of Ebola infection were received.
The patients were said to have been in contact with people who might have just returned from Uganda, where there have been outbreaks of Ebola in the past.
Early Ebola Concerns and Hazmat Response
Because of the severity of Ebola and its potential for quick spread, first responders wore full hazmat suits as they carried the two patients from the urgent care center. This was done as a precaution after early reports indicated a possible Ebola infection, particularly considering the patients' suspected contact with someone who had recently returned from Uganda.
Uganda is not only battling the new Ebola outbreak. Al Jazeera reports that there's also a vaccine hesitancy crisis in the country.
The authorities were especially worried since the symptoms the patients were showing, such as fever and gastrointestinal discomfort, were typical of the onset of Ebola.
An Investigation Reveals the Mystery
The law enforcement sources revealed that the patients had not been officially diagnosed with Ebola. Contrary to the initial panic, it was discovered that the two patients had probably contracted norovirus, not Ebola.
Symptoms of norovirus, which are fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and body aches, closely resemble the initial signs of Ebola. While norovirus is generally not deadly like Ebola, though, it does have a tendency to spread rapidly, particularly within the family unit and close-contact environment.
What Is Norovirus?
Norovirus is an extremely contagious virus that creates inflammation of the intestines and stomach. It is commonly called the "stomach flu" due to its symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract, yet it has nothing to do with the flu.
Norovirus outbreaks are frequent where individuals are close to one another, including hospitals, cruise ships, and nursing homes. It is contagious through food, water, or surface contamination and can also be spread through direct contact with the ill person.
Even though norovirus is less virulent than Ebola, it still has the potential to make a person uncomfortable, particularly among vulnerable populations such as the elderly, small children, and the immunocompromised.
The disease would generally resolve spontaneously in a few days, but proper hydration must be maintained to prevent dehydration complications.
Symptoms of Ebola vs. Norovirus
Although Ebola and norovirus have some symptoms in common, they are different diseases with entirely different consequences. Ebola, brought on by the Ebola virus, results in more serious illness, such as bleeding internally and externally, and may be fatal in as many as 90% of cases unless treated immediately.
The disease is spread by direct contact with bodily fluids from the infected individual.
Conversely, norovirus symptoms are milder, albeit uncomfortable. Norovirus symptoms typically involve:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Stomach cramps
- Low-grade fever
- Muscle pain
Norovirus is extremely infectious and can propagate quickly, though it is not fatal. However, Ebola demands careful isolation and advanced treatment to ensure no further propagation.
Why the Confusion?
The confusion here between Ebola and norovirus most probably originated due to similarities in symptoms, particularly the stomach discomfort and the fever. The second issue had to do with the possibility that the patients might have been exposed to an individual who recently traveled from Uganda, where Ebola outbreaks have been known to occur.
But when the investigation concluded that the sickness had been spreading within a family group, it became apparent that norovirus was more probable, since it tends to easily infect several individuals.
With the Trump administration planning to shut down USAID, officials warn that the Ebola outbreak from Uganda will spread. Americans in the African country might have a hard time seeking foreign aid this time.
