Patient and Family Information

Questions and Answers on Ebola Virus Disease

Has Yale New Haven Hospital had an Ebola patient?

Late Wednesday evening, Oct. 15, Yale New Haven Hospital admitted a patient who met the threshold to be monitored for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). The hospital is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Connecticut Department of Public Health to have the patient tested for EVD. The hospital is currently overseeing operations related to the monitoring and care of the patient.

How has Yale New Haven Hospital been preparing for the Ebola virus?

The hospital has been actively monitoring the Ebola virus situation and has procedures in place to detect and isolate any patient showing symptoms of the disease. Yale New Haven has advanced equipment and facilities and a staff well trained to treat any patient with Ebola, and holds regular drills to address situations such as infectious disease outbreaks.

Should I stay away from the hospital or my doctor’s office to avoid getting Ebola?

Very few people are at risk of contracting Ebola. It is transmitted only by direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected patient showing active symptoms (fever over 101.5°F, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, unexplained bleeding or bruising). Patients, families and visitors should continue to come to the hospital and their doctors’ offices for care without fear of being exposed to Ebola virus.

How will Yale New Haven Hospital protect patients, visitors and staff from Ebola?

Yale New Haven Hospital employs protection measures even greater than those recommended by the CDC. If a patient with Ebola symptoms comes to the hospital, he or she would be isolated from other patients and cared for in a special isolation room. Staff caring for patients with infectious diseases like Ebola wear protective gear, such as masks, face shields, gloves, protective gowns or suits and other equipment.

Where can I get more information about Ebola?

Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH), part of Yale New Haven Health, is a nationally recognized, 1,541-bed, not-for-profit hospital serving as the primary teaching hospital for the Yale School of Medicine (YSM). Founded as the fourth voluntary hospital in the U.S. in 1826, today, YNHH has two New Haven-based campuses, and also includes Yale New Haven Children's Hospital, Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital. YNHH has received Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the nation’s highest honor of nursing excellence. YNHH has a combined medical staff of about 4,500 university and community physicians practicing in more than 100 specialties. www.ynhh.org