First confirmed ebola patient in NYC

By Raj Vaidya, staff reporter

Ebola, the deadly worm-like filovirus, was initially confined to West Africa. It infected thousands of people in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. Now New York City has also received it’s first victim; a physician residing in Manhattan.

After coming back from Guinea, Dr. Craig Spencer, a 33-year-old physician who is part of the  “doctors without borders” program, came down with ebola-like symptoms. EMS was contacted and he was rushed to Bellevue Hospital. The tests conducted at the hospital revealed a diagnosis of Ebola, and confirmed the first ever case in NYC.

“They should have taken precautions to prevent its spread. I’m worried that before he was admitted to the hospital, his sickness spread to other people who didn’t know of the problem,” junior Sabrina Rasmi said.

Despite the urgent nature of the situation, the New York City Department of Health (NYCDOH) assures citizens that it has taken all necessary precautions and schools around the nation will receive the most up-to-date guidance.

“I hope it didn’t spread too far. If it spread to other people…we may have a bigger problem in our hands,” junior Abhishek Singh said.

For students who have visited any of the aforementioned West African countries, the NYCDOE urges that they ensure they are symptom-free before going to school. If Ebola symptoms –including fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, or lack of appetite– are present, they should immediately contact 911 with the individual’s symptoms and travel history.