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Report: Ebola stricken Americans with Charlotte ties to be flown to U.S.

BOONE, N.C. — Emory University Hospital announced Thursday it was informed there are plans to transfer one of the people with Ebola virus infection to its special facility containment unit within the next several days.

The hospital said it did not know when the patient will arrive. ABC World News reported a medical charter flight left Cartersville, Georgia on Thursday to evacuate the Americans with the Ebola virus. One of the Americans would be treated at the Emory hospital.

Samaritan’s Purse released a statement Friday stating the two Americans will return to the U.S. early next week.

The statement said that Nancy Writebol of Charlotte and Dr. Kent Brantly of Fort Worth, Texas are currently in serious condition.

Evacuation of 60 non-essential Samaritan’s Purse and SIM staff and dependents in Liberia, who are all healthy, has already started.

Samaritan’s Purse is asking continued prayer for the evacuation process and the health of Brantly and Writebol.

Read more: WHO: Ebola moving faster than control efforts

Writebol and Brantly recently contracted the deadly disease while working in Liberia.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a travel warning Thursday to avoid nonessential travel to West African nations.

“This is the biggest and most complex Ebola outbreak in history. Far too many lives have been lost already,” said CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden. “It will take many months, and it won’t be easy, but Ebola can be stopped. We know what needs to be done. CDC is surging our response, sending 50 additional disease control experts to the region in the next 30 days.”

An experimental serum for treating Ebola arrived in Liberia, and Brantly requested it be given to Writebol when he learned there was only enough for one, according to a news release from Samaritan’s Purse.

“Dr. Brantly asked that it be given to Nancy Writebol,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “However, Dr. Brantly received a unit of blood from a 14-year-old boy who has survived Ebola because of Dr. Brantly’s care. The young boy and his family wanted to be able to help the doctor that saved his life.”

Brantly and Writebol are in grave condition after contracting the serious disease in Liberia.

"She's tired and she's wearied and a bit sad as well. I know it's been hard because she never imagined that this would be something that she would have to deal with,” son Jeremy Whitebol said.

Samaritan's Purse said Brantly took a slight turn for the worse overnight. The condition of Writebol worsened Thursday, according to SIM, the missionary organization she worked for.

"We continue to pray for Nancy’s full and complete recovery,” said Bruce Johnson, president of SIM USA. “Even though her condition has worsened, we know she is receiving the best possible medical care, and we are thankful that she has access to this experimental drug. We believe in the power of prayer and ask people around the world not only to pray for Nancy and Kent, but also for everyone affected by this terrible virus.”

Emory University Hospital said it has a specially built isolation unit set up in collaboration with the CDC to treat patients who are exposed to certain serious infectious diseases.

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