{"id":50674,"date":"2014-10-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-10-07T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2014\/10\/07\/ebola-patient-looks-strong-father-says\/"},"modified":"2022-09-02T20:22:00","modified_gmt":"2022-09-03T01:22:00","slug":"ebola-patient-looks-strong-father-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2014\/10\/07\/ebola-patient-looks-strong-father-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Ebola patient ‘looks strong,’ father says"},"content":{"rendered":"

The parents of freelance photographer Ashoka Mukpo, the second Ebola patient to be treated at the med center’s Biocontainment Unit, spoke with reporters at the med center Monday morning, shortly after their son had arrived in Omaha.<\/p>\n

Mitchell Levy, M.D., Mukpo’s father, said that his son looked strong and that his symptoms were not yet advanced. <\/p>\n

Mukpo landed at a remote area at Eppley Aiefield Monday morning and was transported to the med center, where his family spoke to him via video link shortly before the news conference.<\/p>\n

“It was an enormous relief to see his face,” said Diana Mukpo, his mother. “We’re really happy that his symptoms are not extreme yet.”<\/p>\n

Dean of the UNMC College of Public Health Ali Khan, M.D., M.P.H., Bradley Britigan, M.D., dean of the UNMC College of Medicine and president of the clinical enterprise, and Rosanna Morris, chief nursing officer and chief operating officer, joined Mukpo’s parents at the podium.<\/p>\n

Dr. Levy said his son may have become infected in Liberia when he was splashed while helping clean and disinfect a vehicle in which an Ebola patient had died, but that Ashoka Mukpo was not certain.<\/p>\n

Dr. Levy described his son as “very strong-willed and determined,” and both parents said they had tried to dissuade their son from returning to Liberia in September in the face of the Ebola epidemic.<\/p>\n

“I’m proud of him, but at the same time, I would prefer he went somewhere safer,” Dr. Levy said.<\/p>\n

Dr. Britigan said treatment for Mukpo would be individualized and that all treatment options were being considered. He added that treating Rick Sacra, M.D., earlier this year had provided useful experience for the Biocontainment Unit team and also led to some system improvements, such as modifying laboratory procedures to make them more efficient and safe.<\/p>\n

Dr. Khan noted that the med center team is in constant communication with other medical teams, not only nationally but worldwide, to maximize efforts to battle Ebola.<\/p>\n

UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., said the med center was proud to offer assistance to Mukpo.<\/p>\n

“We have again been called upon at a time when many are fearful,” he said.
\nHe said Mukpo and his family could expect a “signature dose of Nebraska niceness and hospitality.”<\/p>\n

The med center’s Biocontainment Unit was created in 2005 to safely handle infectious diseases. Dr. Khan noted that the Biocontainment Unit team has trained and drilled many times to effectively protect the patient, health care workers and the community.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ashoka Mukpo arrived at medical center on 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