A patient presents with symptoms of fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. The medical history reveals recent travel to a region experiencing an outbreak of a novel respiratory virus. As a precautionary measure, which of the following actions should the medical assistant take first to prevent the potential spread of the virus within the healthcare facility?
Perform hand hygiene after the patient has been seated in the general waiting area.
Isolate the patient in a separate room and apply appropriate infection control measures.
Notify the healthcare provider about the patient's symptoms and travel history.
Take the patient’s vital signs to confirm the presence of fever and respiratory distress.