On the evening of December 5, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed that a 19-year-old Taiwanese man who had recently returned to Taiwan from Nigeria was admitted to Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital on the same evening. The patient was reported as a suspected Ebola patient due to such symptoms as fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, as well as his previous contact with animals during his stay in Nigeria. Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital has implemented a quarantine in conformity to the strictest standards, admitted the patient to a negative pressure isolation ward, and collected relevant specimens. The specimens will be sent to Taipei for testing tomorrow morning. The test results are expected to be released tomorrow afternoon. 

The CDC once again urges the public to follow the “Two Don’ts and One Do” rule: Do not travel to Ebola-affected areas in West Africa. If it is necessary to travel to such areas, avoid contact with and consumption of wild animals such as fruit bats and primates. Do not visit or come into contact with patients at local hospitals. Pay attention to personal hygiene and undertake preventive measures such as washing hands frequently and wearing a mask when coughing. Travelers are advised to monitor their own health for 21 days after their return to Taiwan. Clinical physicians are also reminded to be sure to question patients returning from West Africa about their history of travel and contact, occupations, families or workplaces, and immediately admit a suspected case to an isolation ward. When attending to patients, medical personnel should remain on high alert, wear standard protective clothing, and follow infection control measures such as washing hands, keeping respiratory hygiene in mind, and avoiding being splashed by body fluids. For more information, please visit the CDC’s web page on Ebola infection (http://www.cdc.gov.tw) or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline: 1922 (or 0800-001922) from anywhere in the country.