Ebola test negative on Kelowna, B.C., nurse Patrice Gordon

Preliminary Ebola tests on a Canadiannursewho recently returned from West Africa have come back negative, the B.C. Ministry of Health said Tuesday.

Patrice Gordon, a nurse practitioner from Rossland, B.C., returned from helping Ebola patients in Sierra Leone on Dec. 25.

She experienced a sore throat and a slight fever on Sunday and the symptoms persisted on Monday. She reported her symptoms to the medical officer of health and wasthen tested for the Ebola virus.

"It's not looking like Ebola at all, but because of her history in working in an Ebola-infected country with patients with Ebola, we need to be abundantly cautious," deputy provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry saidon Tuesday.

All signs point to this being a case of the flu or a similar influenza that is currently circulating widely in the community, health officials said.

"WhileIm feeling like I just have cold symptoms, I completely understand and respect the meticulous attention to Ebola management protocols, considering my recent work in SierraLeone," the health-care worker said in a statement.

"My biggest concern is that the publicity given to my situation here in B.C. right now might deflect attention from the real issue, which is the plight of the people in SierraLeone, Guinea and Liberia."

Health officials said they will get more results back later on Tuesday and Wednesdayand the health-care worker iscurrently in quarantine.

Nurse worked with Red Cross

Gordonis one of 24 Canadian Red Cross aid workers who have travelled to Ebola-affected countries.She wasdeployed to Sierra Leone onNov. 21 and returned to Canada on Christmas Day.

During her mission, Ms. Gordon worked at the Red Cross Ebola treatment centre in Kenema where she provided life-saving support and care to those affected by Ebola, Stephane Michaud, senior manager, international operations emergency and recovery, said in a statement.

Thanks to the tremendous efforts of aid workers such as Ms. Gordon, the Red Cross has been able to make a real difference in Kenema, where there has been a decline in infections. However, we must remain vigilant as the number of cases across the country remains high.

The Red Cross said all delegates are required towear personal protective equipment while providing health-care.

Preparing for an outbreak

TheKelownaGeneral Hospital said it had advanced notice of the female health-care worker returning from West Africa, and were prepared when her symptoms cropped up.

The female patient wasasked to remain within two hours of the hospital at all timesfor the 21-day self-monitoring period.

The province is also currently monitoring six other individuals who have recently returned from West Africa andit hasfinished monitoring nine other people.

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Earlier this year, a traveller whoreturned to B.C.from West Africa in Augustwas tested for Ebola, but those tests also came back negative.

So far, there have been no confirmed cases of Ebola in Canada and the risk to British Columbians of contracting the Ebola virus remains low, health officials say.