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Upstate University Hospital Designated One of Eight Ebola Treatment Centers in NY

upstate.edu

Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse has been chosen as one of eight hospitals across New York State to be  an Ebola treatment center. 
  It’s part of Governor Cuomo’s Ebola preparedness plan which he announced Thursday. Cuomo says he and the people of New York should not be surprised if a case of the virus occurred within the state.

 
"We are prepared to deal with it.  Our healthcare system is one of the best on the planet.  We've been drilling for it and preparing for weeks.  No New Yorker should be concerned if an Ebola case came to New York."

Cuomo’s plan outlines protocols that hospitals, health departments and transportation centers should follow when identifying patients with Ebola. 

   Acting State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker says the department of health is preparing workers in case a suspected Ebola patient is brought into the system, including through urgent care centers. 

EBOLA_ZUCKER_WEB.mp3
Acting Health Commissioner Howard Zucker says the state is preparing for every step once a patient enters the system.

The plan is to eventually get all of the states 200 hospitals ready to idenfity Ebola.  The state is also working with the state education department as well as universities and colleges.  The plan will be put to action immediately throughout New York.  More information about Ebola and the state’s preparedness plan is at health.ny.gov. 

Scott Willis covers politics, local government, transportation, and arts and culture for WAER. He came to Syracuse from Detroit in 2001, where he began his career in radio as an intern and freelance reporter. Scott is honored and privileged to bring the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. You can find him on twitter @swillisWAER and email him at srwillis@syr.edu.