As confirmed by the Illinois Department of Public Health, Rush University Medical Center admitted its first confirmed COVID-19 patient early Thursday morning.
First and foremost: Rush was built for this and our entire Rush team is well prepared to address this evolving situation, including meeting the needs of all of our patients without compromising the care of anyone visiting Rush for other reasons.
Rush University Medical Center has been preparing for potential coronavirus patients to arrive in need of treatment since the earliest diagnosis of a global threat.
Rush is one of only 35 hospitals in the nation recognized by the Centers for Disease Control as a leader in infectious disease treatment. Rush has world-renowned infectious disease specialists, facilities and equipment to provide the diagnostics and treatment necessary to care for a person with a complex or highly transmissible disease while minimizing risk to other patients and hospital staff.
With 40 negative pressure rooms – where the air is sanitized and then exhausted outside the building rather than circulated within -- and the ability to scale up further, our facilities are extremely well equipped should the presence of the virus in Chicago escalate.
We encourage everyone to continue to take the simple but very important steps – including handwashing, covering your cough, and staying home when you are sick – to protect yourself and the public-at-large.