New York City Confirms First Case of Ebola

New York City has its first confirmed case of Ebola in a doctor who had recently been traveling in West Africa to treat patients suffering from the deadly disease. Craig Spencer, 33, was taken to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan earlier today after experiencing a 103 degree fever and other symptoms, reports The New York Times. An initial test has since confirmed that Spencer contracted the disease, which has killed 4,877 people and infected nearly 10,000 across Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Spencer’s now in isolation, though was reportedly bowling and taking Uber for transportation on Wednesday night, raising questions about whether others may have been in close contact.

In a statement, Bellevue Hospital said it “designated for the isolation, identification and treatment of potential Ebola patients by the City and State,” and that New York City was taking “all necessary precautions” to keep others from getting the disease.

This is not the first person with Ebola in the US, though it’s the first for New York, which has more than 8.4 million residents. Thomas Duncan, 42, was the first patient to develop symptoms of the virus in the US after traveling in Liberia, and died from it earlier this month. Two Texas healthcare workers then contracted the virus from Duncan, though both recovered from the virus. Since then, the US has funneled travelers coming from Ebola-stricken countries to just five US airports where they’ve undergone enhanced screening. The country’s also appointed an “Ebola Czar” to coordinate the government’s efforts to combat the virus.

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