Ebola threat concerns Maritimers, despite low health risk

With Canada now dealing with two possible cases of Ebola, some Maritimers are concerned about the spread of disease here, despite the relatively low risk.

One patient arrived at The Ottawa Hospital's General campus on Sunday and was immediately placed in isolation, Ottawa Public Health confirmed to CBC News on Monday.

The patient had recently visited a West African country where Ebola has been reported.

In the other case, a male showed up at the Belleville General Hospital's emergency room with Ebola-like symptoms late Sunday night.

The patient had recently made one stopover in an airport in Sierra Leone, and the hospital described the case as extremely low risk.

Health officials in Nova Scotia say, even if there is never a case of Ebola here, they're prepared.

Mike MacIsaac just flew into Halifax Monday morning from Toronto — one of only two cities in the country where passengers arrive from West Africa, where the Ebola outbreak originated.

It was on MacIsaac’s mind as he boarded the plane.

"They say they have control over this virus but who knows? So it’s concerning, it should be a concern of everybody to sort of keep on guard, to know what’s happening," he said.

"You wonder, when you sit in the plane, with somebody sitting in this seat that possibly came from one of those countries that are going through this issue right now."

The Canadian Public Health Agency said it's tracking and checking every person from the affected African countries who come to Canada — but that still isn't easing all travellers’s fears.

Denise Chisholm, a registered nurse, has no concerns but has made travel changes because her friend does.

"We were planning on going to Hawaii and she had some concerns about Ebola because it was found in the States, so we've put that trip on hold, but I’m still planning to keep flying," she said.

Inez Rudderham's partner doesn't have that luxury. He travels for work at least 72 times a year.

"I worry about him travelling and being on planes, in airports, just because they typically are an incubator for filth and germs anyway. So knowing that’s in the the States and can easily travel up here, I do worry about him, he travels a lot," she said.

There was encouraging news Monday from the federal health minister who announced that a Canadian Ebola vaccine is now undergoing human trials with results expected in December.

"If the Canadian vaccine is shown to be safe and effective [in humans], it will stop this devastating outbreak," said Health Minister Rona Ambrose.

Ashoka Mukpo, an American video journalist with ties to Halifax being treated for Ebola, continues to show improvement and is described by hospital officials as steadily heading in the right direction.