Ebola results negative yet for New York isolation patient at Mount Sinai

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A Mount Sinai Hospital patient's test results to determine the presence of the Ebola virus are negative.

"We would like to report that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have determined that the patient kept in isolation since Monday, August 4, 2014 at The Mount Sinai Hospital has tested negative for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)," said a statement from Mouth Sinai Hospital. "The patient is in stable condition, is improving, and remains in the care of our physicians and nurses."

The patient arrived at the Upper East Side New York hospital with a high fever and gastrointestinal symptoms. His recent travel to West Africa prompted doctors to immediately place him in an isolation room, a precaution doctors nationwide have been instructed to take.

But even if someone in New York did test positive for Ebola, the city health commissioner insists that the risk of a widespread outbreak is low.

"It should be really clear that Ebola is not highly infectious," said Dr. Mary Bassett. "It's not spread through the air, it's not spread by standing next to somebody with Ebola. It's contact with body fluids."

Precautions continue as the outbreak overseas worsens. Nearly 1,000 people have died, including a nurse in Nigeria who treated Patrick Sawyer, the U.S. consultant killed by Ebola last month.

At least 50 United States public health experts continue heading into the outbreak region to help, as the World Health Organization holds an emergency meeting and a congressional hearing is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, of Boston University Medical Center, said those going into the affected areas are specially trained. "We are not cavalier about this. Everyone going into the field has training and background to handle this."

The 2 American missionaries infected oversees continue treatment in Atlanta. Doctors said their conditions vary.

"It's fair to say that some days somebody could look better and some days they may not look so well," said Dr. Jay Varkey, Emory University Hospital.

Some say Nancy Writebol and her colleague Dr. Kent Brantly are alive because they received an experimental treatment. In a statement Wednesday, the WHO said that has sparked a new ethical debate about who should have first access to such treatments.