Two people under observation for Ebola in Chicago

Two people who flew into Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Tuesday are being monitored for Ebola, according to information released by the Chicago Department of Public Health.

One, a child traveling from Liberia, threw up on a flight coming into O'Hare and was initially brought to Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. The child is now under observation at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

The other is an adult who reported nausea and diarrhea on a flight coming into O'Hare and was taken to Chicago's Rush University Medical Center for evaluation. This passenger has shown no other signs of Ebola.

Neither has tested positive for Ebola but are being observed out of what the Chicago Department of Public Health calls an abundance of caution.

The child became ill on the flight and was screened by federal authorities at O'Hare, one of five U.S. airports that have stepped up screening procedures for possible passengers coming into the country with Ebola. The child had no fever and no other Ebola symptoms, aside from the vomiting.

“The passenger's family has also been screened and was found to have no symptoms and no known risk of exposure. Per city protocols that go above and beyond CDC requirements, the passenger's family is under quarantine until the evaluation is complete,” according to a statement posted on the University of Chicago Medical Center site (PDF).

Chicago has formed the Chicago Ebola Resource Network, composed of major hospitals to serve as Ebola care centers. The network includes Rush, Lurie's Children's Hospital, Northwestern Memorial and the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Follow John N. Frank on Twitter: @MHJFrank