Nov 15, 2014

Ebola doctor coming from Sierra Leone to US for treatment is 'critically ill'

The Sierra Leone doctor arriving Saturday in the United States for Ebola treatment is “critically ill,” said a spokesman for the Nebraska Medical Center, where the patient will be treated.
The spokesman also told Fox News Radio that the patient, Dr. Martin Salia, is possibly sicker than anybody else who has been successfully treated in the U.S. for Ebola.
The 44-year-old Salia will be the 10th person with Ebola to receive treatment in the U.S.
The surgeon is expected to arrive in Omaha at about 4 p.m. local time. He is a Sierra Leone citizen and a permanent resident of the U.S., living in Maryland.
An Ebola outbreak has killed more than 5,100 people this year in the West African countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. And there is growing concern about an outbreak in the neighbor Republic of Mali.
One person is known to have died in the U.S. this year from the virus -- Thomas Eric Duncan.
The 45-year-old Duncan, a Liberian national visiting from the United States, died Oct. 8 while being treated at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, in Dallas.
The State Department said Saturday that the U.S. is “facilitating the medical evacuation of a U.S. lawful permanent resident” using protocols developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The department also said the evacuation is at the request of Salia’s wife, a U.S. citizen and Maryland resident, who has agreed to reimburse the U.S. government for any expense.
“Just as we have done in previous cases, every precaution is being taken to ensure the evacuation is completed safely and securely, that critical care is provided en route, and that strict isolation is maintained,” said department spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.