NIH to admit patient exposed to Ebola virus for observation

NIH expects to admit a patient who has been exposed to the Ebola virus to its Clinical Center in the coming days. The patient is an American physician who was volunteering services in an Ebola treatment unit in Sierra Leone.

The patient is being admitted to the NIH Clinical Center for observation and to enroll in a clinical protocol.

Out of an abundance of caution, the patient will be admitted to the NIH Clinical Center’s special clinical studies unit that is specifically designed to provide high-level isolation capabilities and is staffed by infectious diseases and critical care specialists. The unit staff is trained in strict infection control practices optimized to prevent spread of potentially transmissible agents such as Ebola.

No additional details about the patient are available at this time.

It is important to remember that Ebola patients can be safely cared for at any hospital that follows CDC's infection control recommendations and can isolate a patient in a private room.

NIH is taking every precaution to ensure the safety of our patients, NIH staff, and the public. This situation is of minimal risk to NIH staff and the public.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.