Tests Negative for Ebola After Inmate Taken to Inova Loudoun

Tests have come back negative for Ebola after an inmate was taken to Inova Loudoun with a fever. The woman had recently traveled in western Africa.

The woman was transported Thursday from the Loudoun Adult Detention Center with a low-grade fever, county officials said in a statement.

She was arrested at Dulles International Airport on Oct. 13 after arriving from a country in west Africa, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. Described as “middle-aged,” the woman is awaiting extradition to Maryland on unspecified charges.

Read: Health Officials Prepare for Ebola in Ashburn

“The inmate was isolated and monitored at the ADC,” according to county spokesperson Robin Geiger. ”Out of an abundance of caution, protective measures were put in place and EMS transported the patient to the Emergency Room in the Basic Life Support unit.”

The patient received a preliminary evaluation by Inova Loudoun Hospital physicians in coordination with local and state health departments, according to a hospital statement. The patient didn’t meet the threshold for Ebola.

“Our staff has been training and was prepared for this situation. We thank our nurses and doctors for taking great care of all our patients,” stated H. Patrick Walters, CEO, Inova Loudoun Hospital. “We are committed to our promise to deliver excellent care for our patients and the community.”

Loudoun County announced earlier Thursday that it had established a new website, loudoun.gov/ebola, to answer questions about the virus.

“It’s important to remember that people with Ebola cannot spread germs until they have symptoms, and that the disease is spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of a person who has Ebola,” said Dr. David Goodfriend, Loudoun County Health Department Director in a statement.

A press conference is planned for Thursday afternoon in Leesburg.

Image: cdc.gov