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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : October 30, 2014 7:47 PM IST
Kaci Hickox, US nurse, who was quarantined in a New Jersey hospital on her return from West Africa has said that she is challenging the obligatory quarantine imposed on her in the state of Maine despite the fact that she tested negative for Ebola. 'I don't plan on sticking to the guidelines,' Hickox, 33, told NBC's 'Today' show. 'I remain appalled by these home quarantine policies that have been forced upon me even though I am in perfectly good health.' (Read: Quarantine for Ebola what is it?)
If the quarantine imposed on her by Maine, which forces her to remain inside her house until Nov 10, is not lifted Thursday, Hickox is threatening to go to court to fight for her "freedom", she said in the interview. According to NBC, a state police officer Wednesday morning was stationed in front of Hickox's home in Fort Kent, Maine, and was ready to arrest her if she left the house. Hickox was the first person to be affected by the special measures adopted by New York, New Jersey and other states to prevent the spread of Ebola but those measures have been criticised by doctors and federal officials, who claim that they have no scientific basis. (Read: Ebola facts frequently asked questions (FAQ))
Last week, Hickox returned to the US from Sierra Leone, one of the countries hardest hit by the Ebola epidemic and where she had been caring for people sick with the virus, and after landing at the Newark airport she was forced to remain in an outdoor isolation tent with medical equipment set up at University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, and required to begin a quarantine period of 21 days. In an allusion to these obligatory quarantines, although without mentioning them specifically, President Barack Obama Tuesday said that measures that 'discourage' doctors and other healthcare workers from volunteering to travel to Africa to help in the fight against Ebola should be avoided. (Read: 8 tips to prevent Ebola infection)
What is the Ebola incubation period?
The Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a serious clinical condition caused by a virus. Also known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, the virus spreads through close contact with the body fluids of an infected person. Ebola is considered to be a clinical emergency all over the world and hence it is important to be aware of its symptoms and incubation period to prevent health issues.
The incubation period of the Ebola virus is 2 21 days which means that a person infected with the virus takes around 2 to 21 days to show symptoms of this disease. Although in most cases the symptoms appeared after 8-10 days after being infected with the virus. It is in this period of incubation that the virus attacks the immune system. Read more about What is the Ebola incubation period?
With inputs from IANS
Photo source: Getty images
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