Health officials investigate ‘possible infectious disease’ in Kentucky college student
Barbourville ARH Hospital is working with the Centers for Disease Control and the Kentucky Department for Public Health to investigate a “possible infectious disease” involving a Union College student.
The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services said in a news release that “close contacts” of the student “have been identified and are being monitored.”
The cabinet said officials any threat to the general public “is believed to be extremely low.”
Dr. Angela Dearinger, commissioner of the Department for Public Health, said in the release that officials “do not believe the wider community to be at-risk and appropriate protocols were followed at the hospital to prevent exposure to other patients.”
“We want to assure Kentuckians we are aware of a potential infectious disease and are working collaboratively with the local hospital as well as local, regional, and federal public health authorities to determine not only a possible cause of illness, but any steps that need to be taken to protect the health and wellbeing of our Commonwealth,” Dearinger said.
Dr. Joshua Kadetz of Barbourville ARH told WRIL-FM in an interview that the student was quarantined with a potential case of hemorrhagic fever.
Family members had come from West Africa to visit the student several weeks ago, Kadetz told the station.
The doctor said in an interview broadcast by the radio station that he expected the student to be transferred to a facility in Atlanta.
The cabinet said the diagnosis “has not been made” and that officials are conducting medical and lab tests to do so.
Union College President Marcia Hawkins said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that “the student did not contract the Ebola virus, as has been speculated by posts on Facebook.”
Hawkins said “the student is undergoing tests to identify a virus.”
“We have been informed that there is no immediate risk to the public,” she said. “However, we will take every precaution to ensure the safety of our campus community.”
Hawkins said the school has “not been told the identity of the student.”
Barbourville ARH said in the post that the hospital “is open and seeing patients as normal.”
That includes the emergency department, the cabinet said.
The hospital said patient confidentiality prohibits hospital officials from commenting on specific cases.
The cabinet said the state public health department “is following up to inform any hospital worker or close contact of the patient about symptoms to look for in case this illness turns out to be a risk to others.”
“Anyone experiencing signs or symptoms of a viral illness, including fever, nausea, body aches, or lethargy, is encouraged to seek health care immediately,” the release stated.
Union College has 946 undergraduates and 192 graduate students from 31 states and 19 countries, according to the college’s website.
This story was originally published January 14, 2020 at 5:48 PM.
