Wife of Doctor With Ebola: His Condition Is “Steadily Improving”

"We are amazed at how quickly Rick's condition seemed to turn around after he was admitted on Friday," Debbie Sacra said at a press conference from Nebraska Medical Center on Thursday.

A Holden, Massachusetts, doctor diagnosed with the Ebola virus is improving significantly.

Dr. Rick Sacra has been in an isolation unit at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha since Friday after contracting the deadly disease in Liberia. While he's still very weak, he's been getting better everyday.

His wife, Debbie, is keeping in touch with him through a video conference system and says there's been ups and downs.

"He was very pale, his eyes were red, he did not have a lot of energy," she said at first.

However, during the news conference, doctors explained how the blood transfusions he's getting from Dr. Kent Brantly, another ebola survivor, may be helping him. The theory is that people who have survived the often-deadly virus develop antibodies to it, and those anti-bodies may kick start another person's immune system.

He's also taking another experimental drug, but doctors refuse to identify it, saying it's uncharted territory.

"We thank God for his mercy in preserving Rick's life. We are also thankful for the research drug and excellent supportive medical care that was available, because he could be evacuated," Debbie Sacra said.

His wife also spoke about when Dr. Sacra was in Liberia, he couldn't even find a single pair of rubber gloves or protective boots for his staff. He eventually acquired them, but she said this shows just how bad the situation is there.

When asked, if he will go back, she said, "I'm sure that when he gets his strength back, he's going to be ready to go back and I'll have to allow that."

Sacra is the third American aid worker with the virus to be flown to the U.S. for treatment. A fourth worker, who's name isn't known, is now at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.

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