BREAKING NEWS: Patient at Sacramento hospital may have Ebola



A patient at Kaiser South Sacramento Medical Center may have Ebola

The patient's blood will be tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the hospital said in a release

A Sacramento hospital announced Tuesday that one of its patients may have Ebola.



Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center said in a release the patient is isolated.



The hospital's Dr. Stephen Parodi said in the release '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.

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Quarantine: Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center, pictured, said the potentially infected patient is 'in a specially equipped negative pressure room'

'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.'

The patient's blood sample has in fact already been taken, Laura McCasland, a spokesman for Sacramento County's Department of Health and Human Services, told MailOnline in an email exchange.

'The hospital's personnel drew a sample and the County's Public Health Lab has sent the sample to the CDC to detect whether the Ebola virus is present,' McCasland said. 'The outcome of the test is expected in several days, depending on CDC protocols.'