The Nebraska Biocontainment Unit began treating its third patient with Ebola virus late Saturday afternoon.
Doctors said Sunday that the patient was in extremely critical condition. They also said they were using the maximum amount of supportive care possible in an effort to save his life.
“This is an hour-by-hour situation,” said Dr. Phil Smith, medical director of the Biocontainment Unit and a UNMC professor of infectious diseases. “He is extremely ill. We have multiple highly-trained specialists who are experts in their fields targeting his most serious medical issues.”
The patient was brought to Omaha from west Africa.
“Ebola produces symptoms that can obviously create a life-threatening situation for the patient,” concluded Dr. Smith. “But he couldn’t be surrounded by a more caring, compassionate and talented group of people. We will do everything humanly possible to help him fight this disease.”
Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., commended the hard work of the Biocontainment team, whose members have been communicating broadly around the country and Europe about treatment possibilities for the latest patient.
“We are so proud of them,” he said.
As before, members of the UNMC community can be assured that treating this patient poses no elevated risk to anyone outside the Biocontainment Unit. Our staff, students, other patients and their families are as safe as always.
Please remember your legal and professional obligation to protect the privacy of this patient and every other person we care for.