To test staff readiness for a possible Ebola patient, public hospitals in New York City have hired actors to feign Ebola-like symptoms in the ER. The fake patients appear only mildly ill and staff must diagnose the virus and follow the appropriate protocols.

"If those patients have symptoms and a travel history we would expect them to be isolated within a few minutes in that emergency room," said the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation's chief medical office Dr. Ross Wilson. "Then we would call the Department of Health and complete a further work-up with the patient being isolated."

The hospital is also preparing its facilities to handle a patient with the virus. Technicians have put together a lab that would exclusively process Ebola blood tests in order to prevent contamination and an isolation ward has been prepared in the event of a positive diagnosis.  more at url