Moncton patient released after Ebola scare

A patient who had been in isolation at a Monctonhospitalwith Ebola-like symptoms wasreleased on Thursday night, just hours after health officials announced the deadly disease had been ruled out.

"The patient has been released due to their improved condition and the fact that they did not meet the case definition for having the disease," acting chief medical officer of health Jennifer Russell confirmedin an email on Friday.

As a precaution, the patient will continue to be monitored daily by public health officials for "any new or concerning symptoms," said Russell.

"It is important to note that this disease is not contagious until after symptoms are developed," she added.

The patient, who had been in West Africa, where Ebola is present, showed up at theDr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre's emergency room on Wednesday afternoon.

Although some Ebola-like symptoms were present, the patient did not have the classic feverassociated with Ebola, Russell had said during a news conference on Thursday.

"This is not a confirmed case," she had told reporters.

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Another patient who was at the Dumonthospital at the same time contends the government waited too long before telling people what was going on.

Sherry Bertin MacIssac, who was in the waiting room for two hours with the flu, says she was surprised to see staff wearing masks, gloves and plastic shields over the faces.

"They were washing down the walls, washing everything in the triage room with a strong smell of disinfectant,"she said.

MacIssac says people asked hospital staff what was going on, but no one would tell them anything.

She was afraid it was Ebola, she said.

"Yes, I was, it was just like the hair on my neck stood up when I saw them disinfecting that little room, the triage room."

It was a stressful night, said MacIssac.

Employees at the Dumont also contacted CBC News to express concerns.

International health authorities are currentlytrying to contain what is being called "the largest and most complex" outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in history.

The World Health Organization says 4,033 people have died of Ebola, as of Oct. 9. The number of confirmed cases has reached 8,399, WHO said.

Earlier this week,health authorities in Dallas faced criticisms over the death of the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States.

Thomas Eric Duncan, 42, ofLiberia, died Wednesdayat theTexas Health Presbyterian Hospital.

He had been in isolationsince Sept. 28, but was initially sent home a few days earlier when he showed up with a fever.

Symptoms of Ebola generally appear within two to 21 days of transmission.

They initially include sudden fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat, according to the WorldHealth Organization. Next, a patient will demonstrate vomiting,diarrhea, rashand symptoms of impairedkidney and liver function. Some people will have internal and external bleeding as well.

Doctors can providerehydrationand treat specific symptoms, which improves the chances of survival. Scientists have also developed some experimental vaccines.