NorCal Patient Being Treated for Possible Ebola Exposure, Kaiser Permanente Says

An unidentified person who may have been exposed to the Ebola virus is being treated at a Northern California hospital, Patch has confirmed.

The patient is at Kaiser Permanente’s South Sacramento Medical Center, and the CDC is scheduled to test samples of their blood, according to hospital representatives.

The person is currently in isolation, in a “specially equipped negative pressure room,” according to Dr. Stephen M. Parodi, who is an infectious disease specialist and director of hospital operations at Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

It’s not yet clear how the person may have been exposed to the virus.

“The virus is spread through direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the body fluids (blood, urine, feces, saliva, and other secretions) of a person who is sick with Ebola, or with objects like needles that have been contaminated with the virus, or infected animals,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the CDC, there’s currently one of the largest Ebola outbreaks in history going on in West Africa. As of Aug. 19, there are a total of 1,229 deaths believed to have been caused by the virus.

Here’s the full statement from Dr. Parodi about the possible Northern California case:

We are working with the Sacramento County Division of Public Health regarding a patient admitted to the Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center who may have been exposed to the Ebola virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be testing blood samples to rule out the presence of the virus.

In order to protect our patients, staff and physicians, even though infection with the virus is unconfirmed, we are taking the actions recommended by the CDC as a precaution, just as we do for other patients with a suspected infectious disease. This includes isolation of the patient in a specially equipped negative pressure room and the use of personal protective equipment by trained staff, coordinated with infectious disease specialists. This enables the medical center to provide care in a setting that safeguards other patients and medical teams.

The safety of our members, patients and staff is our highest priority. Our physicians and infectious disease experts are working closely with local and state public health agencies to monitor developments and share information.

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