BREAKING: Ebola Scare? Ship from Africa moving to New Orleans after sick crew removed in Belle Chasse

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From WDSU New Orleans (SOURCE LINK): “After several crew members were removed from a African ship suffering from malaria, the vessel is now headed to its original destination — New Orleans. The vessel, Marine Phoenix, is traveling along the Mississippi River and is expected to arrive at the Jourdan Road Terminal at noon, according to officials with the Port of New Orleans.

Its been cleared by the CDC and U.S. Coast Guard. When the ship arrives, it will be loaded with its intended cargo which port officials say is frozen poultry. Port officials say the vessel will stay in port for approximately nine days before it heads back out to sea toward Africa.

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Officials with the port said everything is operating as “normal procedure” at this time.

A person on board the ship bound for New Orleans was listed as critically ill in a Jefferson Parish hospital after being diagnosed with malaria. Several other sailors on board will also be treated after showing signs of the disease.

Another crew member aboard the freighter died from malaria after getting off the ship in the Bahamas earlier in the week.

Those being treated were taken to West Jefferson Medical Center in Marrero. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stressed that the crew members were suffering from malaria and show no traces of Ebola.

First responders who took those three people to the hospital wore protective gear as a precaution, though health officials noted early on that it was extremely unlikely that Ebola was to blame for the sickness on the Marine Phoenix.

Health officials advise malaria is spread by mosquitoes and does not spread from person to person. Between 1,500 and 2,000 cases are reported every year in the United States, almost all in recent travelers.