(Photo: The Advocate)

NEWARK – A local man was arrested Wednesday night on an outstanding warrant after police and medics were asked to check on him.

The reason for the call: the man had told workers at the Hollywood Casino in Columbus he had recently been to Africa and might have Ebola.

Newark police Sgt. Paul Davis said medics and officials from the Licking County Health Department responded to the home of a 29-year-old man on Crestview Woods Drive around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The man had no symptoms of Ebola.

Davis said a records search indicated the man had an outstanding warrant out of Columbus, so police arrested him.

This is the first call related to Ebola police have received in Newark, Davis said.

"We're ready for it," he said. "The chances of us having it here are pretty slim, but we're still doing training."

Acting Newark Fire Chief Pat Connor said the department determined quickly the man did not have Ebola and did not respond in hazardous material suits or other protective gear.

"It wasn't an issue, so we didn't want to make it an issue or induce panic," he said.

Earlier this month, a Cleveland man was arrested at his home for making a comment at the Horseshoe Casino in Cleveland about his wife having the disease.

Davis said the man will not face any charges locally because he did not make any of the comments in Newark.

Columbus police Sgt. David Pelphrey said the man did not give any reason for why he made the comments.

The man has been charged with misdemeanor making false alarms in Franklin County and is scheduled to appear for a bond hearing Monday.

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