llinois partners with 2 Chicago hospitals to establish special pathogen treatment centers

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., (KBSI) — The state of Illinois is partnering with Rush University Medical Center and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago to establish Elite Special Pathogen Treatment Centers.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is providing $1.5 million in funding to the hospitals to upgrade their capacity to treat patients infected with high-consequence pathogens, such as Ebola, Lassa fever and pneumonic plague.

Rush University Medical Center will receive $900,000, while Lurie Children’s Hospital will receive $600,000.

The funding will be used to maintain airborne infection isolation rooms, invest in specialized equipment and provide enhanced training for medical staff.

The partnership is part of the state’s efforts to strengthen its global surveillance and response to infectious diseases.