Guilford, Alamance monitoring 7 for possible Ebola symptoms

Officials said the individuals are not exhibiting symptoms, had no known contact with any Ebola patients and did not work in a health care facility. Their genders, ages, names, locations and specific places of travel were not released.

"This is active monitoring, and the individuals' only risk is that they traveled from an affected country," Alamance County Health Department director Stacie R. Turpin Saunders said in a statement about five people her county is monitoring.

Guilford County's medical director, Laura Bachmann, echoed similar statements to WFMY-TV in Greensboro, saying they are keeping a close eye on two people to make sure nothing changes.

Saunders and Bachmann both said the individuals are complying with procedures their departments have put in place, including temperature-taking and communication with nurses

Anyone who develops symptoms will be taken to an isolation unit at a hospital, Saunders and Bachmann said.

Meanwhile Wednesday, state health officials were awaiting the results of a second test on a Duke University Hospital patient being monitored for the virus.

The individual, who had traveled from Liberia to visit family in Person County, developed a fever Sunday night and has been in quarantine at the hospital since then.

An initial test on Monday showed he or she had no sign of the virus, but because of how it develops, a second test is required.

Dr. Megan Davies, state epidemiologist with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says a negative result would mean the quarantine would be lifted for the patient as well as three family members in Timberlake.

"The only remaining public health action in this situation is continuing the routine monitoring for a traveler from that area to complete the 21 days (the period in which symptoms can appear after possible exposure)."