Patient in isolation at The Ottawa Hospital tests negative for Ebola

The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) and Ottawa Public Health (OPH) have received the results of the Ebola test that was sent to the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg earlier today. The result was negative. The patient at The Ottawa Hospital’s General Campus will no longer require isolation.Healthcare providers at TOH proceeded with isolation because the patient had symptoms and a travel/exposure history suggesting the need to consider Ebola as a possible cause of illness. In such situations,  protocol requires that the patient be placed in isolation, staff use full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when working with the patient and a test for Ebola be considered. These processes, designed to protect the public, hospital staff, patients and visitors, were followed.

We want to thank and commend the patient for following recommendations to travellers from affected countries that develop symptoms, to call the receiving hospital PRIOR to coming to hospital so that all appropriate infection control measures can be fully implemented prior to the patients arrival.

We encourage travellers arriving from the Western African countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia or Guinea to contact OPH and/or Telehealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000 ) on arrival for advice about self monitoring. You can reach Ottawa Public Health by calling 613.580.6744 .

To respect the patient’s right to privacy, no further information about this patient will be disclosed.