Ebola Outbreak Scare in New York State: What You Need to Know

Two patients were isolated and transported to a hospital after showing possible signs of Ebola at an urgent care center in New York.

Ebola is a viral sickness with a mortality rate of up to 90 percent. Being diagnosed with the highly contagious disease is usually considered a death sentence so when someone shows up at the doctor with Ebola symptoms it's usually cause for concern.

On Sunday, two patients who checked in to an urgent care center in Manhattan appeared to be suffering from symptoms that were consistent with Ebola. What especially raised concerns was the fact that the duo had recently traveled from Uganda, which is currently in the middle of a serious Ebola outbreak.

According to The Daily Mail, there have been nine confirmed cases of Ebola in Uganda as of Tuesday. As a precaution, 265 patients in the country were being quarantined and kept under surveillance as the source of the outbreak is being investigated.

Swift Action Taken After Possible Ebola Cases in New York

Health officials quickly isolated the two patients and transported them to the hospital so they could be tested. The New York Health Commissioner, Dr. Michelle Morse, posted an update later in the afternoon announcing that neither of the patients had tested positive for Ebola. It's unclear what they were suffering from, but some have suggested that it's likely norovirus, which has symptoms that are similar to the early stages of Ebola.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Ebola starts with "dry" symptoms such as fever, body aches and fatigue. As the disease takes its course, symptoms become "wet" including diarrhea, vomiting and unexplained bleeding.

Luckily, it appears that there is no threat to New Yorkers at this time, but those who have traveled to areas experiencing an Ebola breakout or have had contact with individuals who have should be on alert for symptoms. While there is no cure, there are treatments that can be administered early on that can help fight the disease and increase the chances of survival.