Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore is building a new unit designed to safely care for patients with Ebola and other dangerous infections, according to an article on the Baltimore Sun website.
The unit includes three patient rooms, each with rooms on either side of it for donning and removing protective equipment, its own lab for testing patient specimens, and a waste management system that can treat linens, protective equipment and bodily fluids on-site. It also is equipped to perform ultrasounds and X-rays without moving patients outside of containment, the article said.
"A unit like this is obviously important for a disease like Ebola, but it will also be very useful for other emerging infectious diseases," said Dr. Lisa Maragakis, director of infection control for Hopkins Hospital.
The unit is designed to contain airborne pathogens, using specialized air handling systems and negative air pressure. It is equipped with systems to sterilize entire rooms using a vaporized hydrogen peroxide solution, the article said. Its autoclave waste management system means that waste doesn't have to be contained and shipped elsewhere to be disposed of properly, a process that would cost as much as $500,000 per patient per week.
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