Patrice Gordon suits up to treat Ebola patients in Sierra Leone.
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December 31, 2014 - 5:28 PM
KELOWNA - A second set of Ebola tests being conducting on an Interior Health nurse practitioner have returned negative, but a third and final test will still need to be done before she is given the all clear.
Patrice Gordon returned from helping to treat Ebola patients in Sierra Leone on Christmas Day and it is standard protocol for health workers to monitor themselves for a 21-day period and take extra precautions if symptoms are detected.
Deputy provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says Gordon arrived at Kelowna General Hospital Monday night with flu-like symptoms that began developing the day before. She was put into isolation and the first blood test was done Monday night. The second test was done Tuesday and results came back negative on Wednesday. The third and final test results are expected back Thursday, Jan. 1.
Interior Health says the third test is only being done “out of an abundance of caution.” The illness remains mild and Gordon reported her symptoms at an early date.
Kelowna General Hospital is one of five hospitals where staff have been trained to deal with Ebola. The four other regional hospitals participating in protocol training are Surrey Memorial Hospital, Royal Jubilee Hospital, University Hospital of Northern B.C. and B.C. Children's Hospital.
There are currently seven people, including Gordon, undergoing the 21-day period of self-monitoring. A total of 16 people have returned from the affected countries since August.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014