In the midst of an Ebola crisis that is beginning to cross continental boundaries, Hawaii got a bit of reassuring news: The islands’ public health network did well handling its own test of disease-control protocols.

This matters less in the context of Ebola, given that Hawaii is at low risk of that epidemic reaching these shores, but as a hopeful sign of the state’s capacity to protect the public from more likely threats in the future.

A patient who had been reported to the state Department of Health as a possible Ebola case ultimately didn’t meet the criteria for testing for the deadly viral infection. The man was kept in isolation at The Queen’s Medical Center while he was being evaluated, according to sources.

Although health officials declined to disclose details of the case, the agency was notified about it on Wednesday. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines call for such reports of people who may have traveled to the West Africa region in the last 21 days and experienced specific symptoms.

The episode drew a great deal of attention last week because it was reported in tandem with a Texas case — confirmed as an Ebola infection — that did not play out nearly as well. In Dallas, health officials are now tracking about 50 people who had direct or indirect contact with the patient, Thomas Eric Duncan, who was able to get past screening on a journey from Liberia, one of 10 African countries afflicted by the infection.

Duncan, who sought treatment after his Sept. 19 journey, was allowed to go home after telling a Dallas hospital about his travels. The result: More people in the community were exposed to the infection, risks that should have been avoided.

Hawaii, by contrast, acted with an abundance of caution, placing its patient in a single-occupant room with a dedicated bathroom, even though symptoms could have been linked to various illnesses.

It’s even more reassuring to see that the public surveillance against disease will be strengthened, and not relaxed along with the understandable sigh of relief.

The first line of defense is public awareness, so on Friday the Health Department posted a frequently asked questions (FAQ) primer on its website (http://health. hawaii.gov/docd/ebola-faq/).

It underscores some essential points that must be widely understood to avoid needless fear. For example, unlike the flu, the Ebola virus is not transmitted through the air but is spread through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, or through contact with contaminated needles or other objects.

Symptoms include fever, severe headache, joint and muscle aches, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, lack of appetite and abnormal bleeding. They may appear from two to 21 days after exposure, although eight to 10 is more typical, according to the FAQ.

And the virus’ relatively long incubation period is the reason to keep up surveillance on travel corridors, given that many people may be carriers who don’t even realize they’re infected.

Toby Clairmont, director of emergency services at the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, said it is implementing CDC-recommended procedures to identify patients who have recently traveled to Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria or Sierra Leone, the primarily affected African countries.

Hawaii seems to be practiced at this — as any destination that serves as a hub for international travel should be. Illnesses that have afflicted the Asia-Pacific region — most residents remember the scares of the avian flu and the SARS virus — have prompted officials to lay the protective groundwork.

Clairmont said his association, which represents hospitals and long-term care facilities, has amassed enough personal protective gear for about 80,000 health care workers, in the event of a serious outbreak.

And for more than five years, a screening system has been in place at Hono-lulu Airport, said Dr. James Ireland, airport medical director. Airline crew members are required by federal law to radio the airport before the plane lands when a passenger reports illnesses; this allows medical personnel to board the plane to assess the patient before passengers disembark.

As a tourist destination, Hawaii would prefer its public image to be associated with things other than disease. But there’s nothing wrong with putting out this message: As one of the most isolated spots on the planet, people in these islands place a high premium on being prepared to deal with emergencies.

Hawaii is doing a good job protecting its population from potential medical emergencies, which is comforting news for visitors and residents who rely on that continued vigilance.