Ebola outbreak concerns in NYC after multiple suspected cases reported
NYC officials responded to suspected Ebola cases after two patients showed symptoms linked to Uganda’s outbreak. Health authorities later ruled out Ebola, but the CDC remains on high alert.
Two individuals showing symptoms consistent with Ebola were transported from a New York City urgent care center to a hospital for evaluation and treatment. The suspected cases prompted an emergency response due to the potential risk of the highly contagious and deadly virus.
The patients were taken from a CityMD urgent care located at East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue at approximately 11:16 a.m. ET on Sunday, according to the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). Emergency responders, clad in protective face coverings and gloves, carefully moved the patients into ambulances in the midst of a rainy morning on the Upper East Side.
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New York City on alert after two cases of Ebola report
Authorities suspected a possible Ebola infection because both patients had recently traveled from Uganda, where a current outbreak of the virus is ongoing, according to the New York Post. Given the severity of the disease and its high fatality rate, immediate precautionary measures were taken.
Both patients were transported to Bellevue Hospital, where the New York City Department of Health (DOH) conducted further testing. Acting NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morris later confirmed that neither patient had Ebola.
"The two patients that sought services at CityMD on February 16 at 153 East 125 Street do not have Ebola," Dr. Morris stated. "One patient is being taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue for routine testing and treatment. The NYC Health Department remains in close communication with FDNY, CityMD, and NYC Health + Hospitals."
Although the exact illness affecting the patients remains unclear, sources told the New York Post that they may be suffering from norovirus, a highly contagious gastrointestinal infection.
CDC raises Ebola alert in the United States after NYC reports
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has urged healthcare professionals across the U.S. to be vigilant and evaluate patients for potential Ebola symptoms, fearing that the virus could spread beyond Uganda.
The CDC issued a Health Advisory through its Health Alert Network (HAN) following the confirmation of an Ebola outbreak in Uganda on January 30, 2025. On January 29, a 32-year-old nurse working at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala died after experiencing fever, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and internal bleeding. Despite seeking treatment at multiple hospitals, including traditional healers, his condition rapidly deteriorated, and post-mortem samples confirmed he had Ebola.
Ugandan health authorities have reported at least nine confirmed cases of Ebola, with 265 individuals under quarantine for monitoring. The outbreak is attributed to the Sudan virus disease (SVD), a strain of Ebola for which no approved vaccines or treatments exist.
To curb the spread, Uganda has launched a clinical study to test the safety and effectiveness of an experimental Ebola vaccine. Meanwhile, the CDC has issued a Level 2 travel advisory for Uganda, urging travelers to exercise enhanced precautions.