New Mexico Teacher Tested For Ebola Virus

The Ebola crisis is far from over, although it is slowly being contained. However, individuals that travel overseas may unknowingly come into contact with the virus and unintentionally bring it back home with them. An unnamed teacher recently traveled to Sierra Leone and arrived home to begin experiencing symptoms of the Ebola Virus.

The teacher is not known to have had any contact with the Ebola virus, but her symptoms of muscle aches, fever, sore throat, and headaches have physicians testing her, just to be safe. Many people are worried about the ease of contracting the virus, unaware that it spreads through bodily fluids, and not the air or water. However, there is always the chance she was in contact with someone who had the virus, and she didn’t realize they were infected.

Dr. Meghan Brett, a UNMH epidemiologist, eased the mind of the public by sharing her thoughts on the symptoms.

‘Returning from overseas with a fever could be a lot of things. It could be routine.’

Another physician, Dr. Robert Bailey, reinforced Dr. Brett’s musing.

‘There really isn’t a risk to the public at this point. The risk of Ebola is not having the patient in the hospital – being in a situation like the folks in Africa are experiencing right now with folks getting sick in rural villages and nobody recognizes it.’

The Albuquerque Journal reported on the teacher’s condition, warning the public of the potential Ebola case, not to scare the public, but to inform them.

“The woman, who worked overseas as a teacher, has a sore throat, headache, muscle aches and fever and is in stable condition. Those are similar to the initial symptoms of Ebola.

She had no known exposure to Ebola, and health officials said the tests are being done “out of an abundance of caution,” according to a Health Department news release. Preliminary test results are expected late this week.”

Although the Ebola virus has claimed the lives of over 1,140 people in places such as Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia, the impact on Americans has been minimal and considered contained. The Ebola virus has a 90% fatality rate, making it a bigger worry than the AIDS virus, especially for those who have Ebola in their bodies. However, a new and experimental drug called ZMapp may help to manage the symptoms of the virus and lessen the percentage of fatalities from Ebola.

Although the results of the teacher’s tests have not been revealed, Doctors are hoping she passes with flying colors and will be back in the classroom in no time.

[Photo Courtesy: Concordy]