The Medical Arts Building II on the Fayette County Memorial Hospital (FCMH) campus was closed for several hours Wednesday afternoon after a patient was confirmed to have an isolated case of Malaria.
“Out of an abundance of caution for the patients, staff and the community, FCMH implemented emergency protocols early Wednesday afternoon once they learned of the condition,” said Chelsie Hornsby, director of business development at FCMH. The patient, who was classified as an “infected class A patient,” was isolated for treatment as the Medical Arts Building II was closed for cleaning for a couple of hours.
The building was expected to be open on Thursday.
“Despite it being unnecessary, the hospital wanted to take no chances and performed a deep, terminal cleaning within the building Wednesday,” said Hornsby. “The building was closed and appointments for (Wednesday) have been rescheduled. We worked in collaboration with the Fayette County Health Department to ensure the proper procedures were taken. At FCMH, the care for our patients and employees are always top of mind. I would like to applaud the quick reaction from the staff in the building and their ability to quickly and accurately follow the emergency protocols.”
Preliminary testing showed that the virus is Malaria, according to FCMH officials. The patient has a history of contracting Malaria due to traveling out of the country. This virus is not contagious; blood transfusion and placental transmission are the only two ways to transfer patient to patient.
Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite. People with Malaria often experience fever, chills, and flu-like illness. The vast majority of cases in the United States are from travelers and immigrants returning from countries where Malaria transmission occurs, with many from sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Hornsby said she wanted to assure the community that there is no risk of transmission to members of the community. Additionally, there should be no concern when visiting the hospital building, as all proper protocols have been taken with great care.
For more information on Malaria, visit www.cdc.gov or to reschedule an appointment at FCMH from Wednesday, contact the hospital at (740) 333-3333.
