FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 19 (UPI) -- A Florida courtroom was evacuated Friday when an arrestee told police he was infected with the Ebola virus.
The Sun Sentinel reports that the Broward County Courthouse was evacuated on a judge's order after Joseph L. Britton, 42, told police that he was infected with Ebola. The Broward County Jail was likewise put on lockdown for four hours because the approximately 250 inmates and jail personnel could have been exposed to Britton during his stay.
Britton was facing battery and disorderly conduct charges, and waited to stand before Judge John Hurley that day.
A police report indicated that during his arrest -- for licking his hand and putting it on a restaurant employee -- he had told officers that he was infected with the possibly fatal virus that has killed more than 4,000 people in West Africa.
After Hurley read this during the proceeding, he ordered the evacuation. The Broward Sheriff's Office said that after hazmat responders took Britton to Broward Health Medical Center, it was concluded that he did not have the virus.
Fort Lauderdale police told the Sun Sentinel that they believe the language used in the report to describe Britton's disorderly behavior was misinterpreted as possible symptoms of Ebola.
Police say Britton later denied claiming he had the virus, and that additional charges against him were not expected.
Broward Sheriff Scott Israel said that he considered the evacuation and lockdown a "dress rehearsal."
Israel said that copycat offenders would be prosecuted.
