OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — It's a deadly virus that has taken a toll on Western African countries, and has claimed the lives of 300 people in the Congo recently. Doctors in Omaha now are watching to see if one person might have symptoms of Ebola.
The Nebraska Medical Center says they're monitoring a person brought to them from the Congo who was on a humanitarian medical mission and was potentially exposed to Ebola. Doctors say the unidentified person hasn't contracted the virus, currently isn't contagious, and is not a danger.
Angie Vasa, Dir. of Nursing with @NebraskaMed, and Dr. Mark Rupp with Infectious Disease says an individual in incubation period is being monitored for Ebola here. Dr. Rupp says patient does not have Ebola. @3NewsNowOmaha pic.twitter.com/UNCt9HUOPJ
— Jake Wasikowski (@jakewasikowski) December 31, 2018
In 2014, Nebraska Medicine treated multiple patients with the deadly virus. Since then they've continued to improve training and care, and have rennovated a space to observe as many as 6 people for Ebola.
"If there was any silver lining to the outbreak of 2014-2015 is a much higher level of preparedness throughout the country to evaluate somebody in a network of hospitals set up to do that evaluation and then transfer to a biocontainment unit much like ours," said Dr. Mark Rupp, Chief of the Infectious Disease Division at the Nebraska Medical Center.
If they'd develop symptoms they'd be transferred to a higher level of care. The person will be monitored for up to 3 weeks... Doctors say symptoms are apparent in 7-10 days but can start much like a cold or the flu.
