Woman Quarantined In New Jersey Tests Negative For Ebola

A woman who was quarantined at a New Jersey airport on Friday has tested negative in a preliminary test for Ebola, state officials said Saturday morning.

The woman, a healthcare worker who had treated patients with Ebola in affected countries in Africa, was quarantined at Newark Liberty International Airport after arriving in the US on Friday. She showed no symptoms upon arrival, but later developed a slight fever.

"A healthcare worker with a recent history of treating Ebola patients in West Africa who was quarantined from Newark Liberty International Airport yesterday has tested negative in a preliminary test for Ebola," the New Jersey Department of Health said in a statement.

"The patient continues to be quarantined and remains in isolation and under observation at University Hospital in Newark."

The department added that physicians at the hospital would continue to monitor the patient and keep in close contact with officials at both the New Jersey Department of Health and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The woman was the first traveler to be quarantined under new protocols announced Friday by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The governors said there will now be a mandatory 21-day quarantine for health workers and any other passengers who had contact with Ebola-stricken people.

"I think the action you see us taking today is based upon experience that we've had on the ground both in New York and in New Jersey. And that's our responsibility," Christie said. "Our responsibility is to make sure we protect the public health of the people of our state."