Photo: Kallista Images, Getty Images  The deadly Ebola virus is the biggest medical story of 2014 and for good reason. As of Oct. 24, West Africa had seen nearly 10,000 cases and 4,868 deaths in five countries. Spain and the United States have also seen cases of the virus.  The deadly Ebola virus is the biggest medical story of 2014 and for...  Nancy Writebol, a doctor working for SIM, was infected after working in Monrovia, Liberia. Writebol was also flown back to the U.S. to be treated at the same hospital as her colleague Kent Brantly. Both her and Brantly receive an experimental treatment called ZMAPP to fight off Ebola.  July 25, 2014 Second American missionary diagnosed with Ebola Nancy...  Dr. Kent Brantly, an aid worker for Samaritan's Purse comes down with Ebola while working in Monrovia, Liberia. He is flown on Aug. 2  to Atlanta to be treated at Emory University Hospital. He is discharged at a news conference on Aug. 21.  July 31, 2014 Medical missionary becomes first known American to get...  An unnamed American who had been working for the World Health Organization in Sierra Leone arrives at the same hospital that treated Writebol and Brantly. His condition has not been updated.  Sept. 9, 2014 Emory University Hospital receives another Ebola...  Ashoka Mukpo was working in Liberia as a video journalist for media outlets such as NBC News and Vice when he was diagnosed with the virus. He returned to the U.S. on Oct. 6, received a blood transfusion from Brantly and recovered in the Nebraska Medical Center that Sacra was treated at. Tests for the Ebola virus came back negative on Oct. 21 and he was released soon after.  Oct. 2, 2014 Freelance American cameraman diagnosed with Ebola in...  Amber Vinson, a nurse who provided care for the first Ebola patient in Dallas comes down with the virus. She was transferred to Emory Hospital in Atlanta where other Ebola patients Brantly and Writebol were successfully cared for. Her family announced Vinson was free of the Ebola virus on Oct. 23 and will be released soon.  Oct. 15, 2014 Second nurse caring for Thomas Eric Duncan contracts...  Nina Pham, a nurse who worked as part of the staff treating the first American Ebola patient, Thomas Duncan, tests positive Oct. 12 and becomes the first contracted case in the U.S. She received a plasma transfusion from Dr. Brantly. She was moved to the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Maryland on Oct. 16 and was released on Oct. 24.  Oct. 24, 2014 Dallas nurse, first U.S. patient, recovers Nina Pham, a...  President Barack Obama hugs Ebola survivor Nina Pham in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday, Oct. 24, 2014, in Washington. Pham, the first nurse diagnosed with Ebola after treating an infected man at a Dallas hospital is free of the virus. The 26-year-old Pham arrived last week at the NIH Clinical Center. She had been flown there from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. Pham's mother Diana, center, and sister Cathy watch.  President Barack Obama hugs Ebola survivor Nina Pham in the Oval...  What is Ebola Virus Disease? Ebola, previously known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a very serious disease caused by infection with one of the Ebola virus strains.  What is Ebola Virus Disease? Ebola, previously known as Ebola...  How is Ebola transmitted? Ebola viruses are transmitted through direct contact with blood or body fluids. Ebola is not spread through the air or by water, or in general, food. That means that body fluids (blood, saliva, mucus, vomit, urine, feces or semen) from an infected person (alive or dead) have touched someone’s eyes, nose, or mouth or an open cut, wound, or abrasion. Insects do not transmit Ebola.  How is Ebola transmitted? Ebola viruses are transmitted through...  Can Ebola spread by coughing or sneezing? Ebola is not a respiratory illness like many flu or measles viruses that can be transmitted by air particles after an infected person coughs or sneezes. Ebola is only transmitted by direct contact with body fluids of a person who has active symptoms of Ebola disease. Coughing and sneezing are not common symptoms of Ebola. However, if a patient with Ebola coughs or sneezes on someone, and saliva or mucus come into contact with that person’s eyes, nose or mouth, these fluids may transmit the disease.  Can Ebola spread by coughing or sneezing? Ebola is not a...  Has WCHN had an Ebola patient? No, we have not had any confirmed or suspected cases of Ebola in any of our Network hospitals.  Has WCHN had an Ebola patient? No, we have not had any confirmed or...  Is the network prepared for Ebola? Yes. We began planning and preparing for Ebola in August. Staff awareness and education have been ongoing and more intensive training for front-line staff is underway. We are very confident in our organization’s ability to screen, detect and isolate Ebola patients.  Is the network prepared for Ebola? Yes. We began planning and...  How is WCHN protecting its patients, visitors, staff and community from Ebola? Safety is a top priority. WCHN has a comprehensive infection control process and our staff is expertly-trained and prepared to take care of patients with a variety of infectious diseases, including Ebola. We are encouraging prevention practices and following all federal guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) protocols, including immediately isolating the patient and taking proper infection control precautions to avoid exposure to patients, visitors and staff.  How is WCHN protecting its patients, visitors, staff and community...  How are facts about Ebola being communicated to staff? Facts about the Ebola virus are being disseminated to staff through a variety of communication channels and training sessions. Email is a primary distribution channel for employees and physicians. Additional channels include the employee portal, Managers’ Forums, Employee Town Halls, and traditional mail.  How are facts about Ebola being communicated to staff? Facts about...  What signage is in place to educate the public? Digital signage, along with a series of posters and fliers have been created and distributed throughout the hospitals and offsite locations to raise general awareness and screen for potential risks. Signage advises patients and visitors who have traveled to West Africa over the past 21 days to notify hospital staff. Signage is available in Spanish, Greek and Portuguese, reflective of our diverse communities. Additionally, the public can visit hospital websites and social media sites for regular updates.  What signage is in place to educate the public? Digital signage,...  How are we screening patients? Physicians and health care providers throughout the hospitals and network are following CDC guidelines and protocols for screening patients at all points of entry. Staff is trained on what to do immediately if a person answers “yes” to any of the screening questions.  How are we screening patients? Physicians and health care providers...  What training is planned for staff? Extensive preparations and training are underway for those with the greatest likelihood of interacting with potentially infected patients. These “super users” are training on and observing the donning and removing of personal protection equipment to ensure full body coverage, as well as proper methods for disposing and destroying used materials. Additional training is planned for front-line clinical staff and hospital wide staff. Training requirements and level of detail will vary based on individual roles in delivering patient care. Training schedules will be shared over the next few days. Training will be offered across the network.  What training is planned for staff? Extensive preparations and...  Who is leading the training sessions? Highly qualified hospital staff members are leading the training sessions. These staff members have been specially trained by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Center for Disaster Preparedness (CDP) on how to handle these situations.  Who is leading the training sessions? Highly qualified hospital...  What precautions does the CDC require? To protect hospital patients, visitors and staff, we are following the following CDC precautions: • Isolating patients with Ebola or Ebola-like symptoms from other patients and non-essential staff. • Wearing protective clothing, including masks, gloves, gowns, and eye protection. • Practicing proper infection control and sterilization measures. • Notifying local and state health officials if anyone has direct contact with the blood or body fluids, such as but not limited to, feces, saliva, urine, vomit, and semen of a person who is sick with Ebola.  What precautions does the CDC require? To protect hospital...  How will the hospital isolate patients who may have been exposed to Ebola? We follow strict CDC protocols relative to isolation of an exposed patient for Ebola or any infectious disease. Patients and visitors are kept at a safe distance from isolation areas and standard precautions are in place. These areas are only accessible by healthcare staff assigned to the medical care of the patient involved. Staff caring for patients with infectious diseases like Ebola wear protective gear inclusive of masks, face shields, gloves, protective gowns, suits, and other equipment. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is available for staff who need it.  How will the hospital isolate patients who may have been exposed to...  Should patients still keep their scheduled appointments at WCHN hospitals? Yes. We have no confirmed or suspected cases of Ebola. We are confident that our hospitals are safe for patients, visitors and staff. We want to reassure you that your safety remains our top priority and that all precautions are in place and tested for this and other public health concerns.  Should patients still keep their scheduled appointments at WCHN...  Should patients still keep their scheduled appointments at WCHN hospitals? Yes. We have no confirmed or suspected cases of Ebola. We are confident that our hospitals are safe for patients, visitors and staff. We want to reassure you that your safety remains our top priority and that all precautions are in place and tested for this and other public health concerns.  Should patients still keep their scheduled appointments at WCHN...  Will the hospital release information should a suspected case of Ebola come forward? Hospital communications will be managed responsibly, adhering to all state and federal guidelines surrounding patient privacy and infection control, along with input and guidance from the CDC and DPH.  Will the hospital release information should a suspected case of...  How will the hospital monitor staff health in the event the hospital receives a patient or suspected case? As with any transmissible disease, employee health will be monitored by Infectious Disease, Infection Control and Employee Health.  How will the hospital monitor staff health in the event the...  President Barack Obama meets with Ebola survivor Nina Pham in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday, Oct. 24, 2014. Pham, the first nurse diagnosed with Ebola after treating an infected man at a Dallas hospital is free of the virus. The 26-year-old Pham arrived last week at the NIH Clinical Center. She had been flown there from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas.  President Barack Obama meets with Ebola survivor Nina Pham in the...  President Barack Obama meets with Ebola survivor Nina Pham in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday, Oct. 24, 2014. Pham, the first nurse diagnosed with Ebola after treating an infected man at a Dallas hospital is free of the virus. The 26-year-old Pham arrived last week at the NIH Clinical Center. She had been flown there from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas.  President Barack Obama meets with Ebola survivor Nina Pham in the...  Patient Nina Pham is hugged by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, outside of National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md., Friday, Oct. 24, 2014. Pham, the first nurse diagnosed with Ebola after treating an infected man at a Dallas hospital is free of the virus. The 26-year-old Pham arrived last week at the NIH Clinical Center. She had been flown there from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas.  Patient Nina Pham is hugged by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the...  Patient Nina Pham speaks outside of National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md., Friday, Oct. 24, 2014. Pham, the first nurse diagnosed with Ebola after treating an infected man at a Dallas hospital is free of the virus. The 26-year-old Pham arrived last week at the NIH Clinical Center. She had been flown there from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas.  Patient Nina Pham speaks outside of National Institutes of Health...  Patient Nina Pham is hugged by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases outside of National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md., Friday, Oct. 24, 2014. Pham, the first nurse diagnosed with Ebola after treating an infected man at a Dallas hospital is free of the virus. The 26-year-old Pham arrived last week at the NIH Clinical Center. She had been flown there from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas.  Patient Nina Pham is hugged by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the...  Patient Nina Pham, center, with her mother Diana Berry, right, and sister Cathy Pham, left, smiles as members of the NIH staff outside applaud during a news conference at NIH in Bethesda, Md., Friday, Oct. 24, 2014. Pham, the first nurse diagnosed with Ebola after treating an infected man at a Dallas hospital is free of the virus. The 26-year-old Pham arrived last week at the NIH Clinical Center. She had been flown there from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas.  Patient Nina Pham, center, with her mother Diana Berry, right, and...
BETHESDA, Md. (AP) â" A nurse who caught Ebola while caring for a Dallas patient who died of the disease walked out of a Washington-area hospital virus-free Friday and into open arms.  [...] the close contact between the president and the former patient also came as officials in New York tried to calm fears after a doctor was diagnosed with Ebola in that city.  Pham said she felt "fortunate and blessed to be standing here today," as she left the National Institutes of Health's Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where she had been since she arrived Oct. 16 from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas.  Pham thanked her health care teams in Dallas and at the NIH and singled out fellow Ebola survivor Dr. Kent Brantly, who recovered after becoming infected in Liberia, for donating plasma containing Ebola-fighting antibodies as part of her care.