American Ebola survivor visits Winnipeg
Nancy Writebol, second American infected, survived after receiving experimental ZMapp vaccine
The second American infected with Ebola made a quick and quiet stop in Winnipeg Sunday.
In July NancyWritebolwasairliftedfrom Liberia to a hospital in Atlanta. She was one of the very few who received the experimental drug,ZMapp, before supplies ran out.
Writebolwas released from medical care three weeks laterand is now free of the Ebola virus.
Winnipeg visit
It's an awful disease and it wracks your body, she said. "You lose your dignity, there's loss of fluid, your body gets weak, there's diarrhea, vomiting, excruciating pain and fever. It's very painful."
Writebolwas volunteeringata mission hospital in Liberia when she contracted Ebola. Her job was to make sure doctors and nurses were wearing the proper safety equipment to deal with Ebola patients.
She was also in charge of ensuring medical workers went through a decontamination process upon finishing their shifts.
Writebolisn't certain where she was infected, but said she survived in large partbecause she received theZMappvaccine.
"If I took it and it worked, great. If I didnt' take it, the outcome was probably that I might not survive and so it didn't seem like a win-lose situation," said Writebol.
"If I took it and it worked, what other research could be done to help others and especially Africans?"
Writebolgrateful for efforts of local scientists
Writebol said she was grateful for receiving the experimental vaccine and wanted to send a message of gratitude to the Winnipeg scientists who helped develop the drug.
"There's so much gratitude for their continued work on the drug and the way they're desiring to help those in West Africa who are really suffering with Ebola," said Writebol. "Mywords are just, 'Thankyou for what you're doing, don't stop. Please continue.'"
Unfortunately, Writebolwasn't able to meet the scientists she had hoped to. Her speech on Sunday, however, did inspireGrant Memorial Church-member Dr. Dwayne Funk.
"We all followed her story and Kent Brantley's story," said Funk, who teaches anesthesia and critical care at the University of Manitoba.
"Seeing them getting better and travel and share their story with the rest of the world, is quite impressive," saidFunk, who is also part of anEbola-preparedness team of medical professionals in Winnipeg.
Having survived,Writebolis now immuneto the Ebola virus.
She has since donated her blood plasma to Craig Spencer, a New York physicianwho was infected with Ebola. He has since recovered and was released from a NYC hospital last week.
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