Updated at 1:30 p.m., Dec. 23, 2014
A pregnant woman who had recently traveled to Africa and was exhibiting Ebola-like symptoms prompted authorities at the Otay Mesa border crossing to summon a hazmat team and contact local and federal health officials, who determined she was suffering from influenza, a fire official said.
San Diego Fire-Rescue Department medics were initially dispatched to the border crossing at 2500 Paseo Internacional around 9:40 p.m. Monday to provide medical aid to the woman, “who possibly met the profile of an Ebola virus disease patient,” San Diego Fire Capt. Joseph Amador said.
The woman, whose name was withheld, was nauseous, vomiting and had a fever, according to Amador.
County health officials were then called in on the case, as were federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention personnel and the local fire department’s hazardous materials team, he said.
It was determined that she had visited Nigeria, which is not one of the West African countries that experienced an Ebola outbreak, and that she was suffering from the flu, according to Amador. The woman was taken to a hospital to be treated, he said.
