Dr. Rick Sacra 'Feeling Better,' Doctors Don't Suspect Ebola Recurrence
WORCESTER (CBS) – Hospital officials reiterated on Sunday that they do not believe Holden Dr. Rick Sacra had a recurrence of the Ebola virus.
Instead, doctors said they believe Sacra, who was recently released from a Nebraska hospital and declared Ebola-free, is suffering from an upper respiratory infection.
Sacra visited a Boston-area emergency room last week with a persistent cough and low-grade fever before being transferred to UMass Memorial Medical Center because doctors were concerned he might be developing pneumonia. He had been recovering at his home in Holden until he became sick.
During a press conference on Sunday afternoon, Dr. Robert Finberg said Sacra remains isolated as the hospital awaits Ebola test results. Finberg said Sacra is "feeling better" on Sunday.
"Dr. Sacra came to the hospital with a fever and slight cough. Today, he is in stable condition, his symptoms seem to be improving, and he is eating," Finberg said.
On Saturday officials said Sacra was isolated at Worcester's UMass Memorial Medical Center with an apparent upper respiratory infection as a precaution.
"We exercised extreme prudence and caution when Dr. Sacra first came to the Emergency Department Saturday morning, complaining of upper respiratory symptoms," Finberg said.
After Sacra was hospitalized, UMass Memorial began distributing flyers over the weekend alerting patients and visitors of the doctor's history with Ebola.
"There is no risk to hospitalized patients, their visitors or the general public," the flyer reads.
"UMass Memorial Medical Center is well equipped to handle infectious disease assessment and containment."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports:
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