Recovered journalist back home

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — An American video journalist who recovered from Ebola is home in Rhode Island.

Ashoka Mukpo contracted the virus while working in Liberia as a freelance cameraman for NBC and other media outlets. The 33-year-old was released from the Nebraska Medical Center’s biocontainment unit Wednesday and flew back to Rhode Island by private charter.

Dr. Mitchell Levy said Thursday his son is doing well and it’s wonderful to have him home in Providence.

Two nurses are improving

NEW YORK — Two Ebola-infected Dallas nurses are improving, as doctors work to save them from the deadly virus and teach other hospitals how to prevent more infections.

Amber Vinson, 29, is now free of the virus and will be moved out of isolation, her family said in a statement. Nina Pham, 26, the first person to catch Ebola in the United States, was upgraded from fair to good condition on Oct. 21.

Billionaire pledges $100 million

SEATTLE — Billionaire Paul Allen says he’ll contribute at least $100 million to the fight against Ebola.

The Microsoft co-founder said Thursday that among the initiatives he’s supporting is the development of two medevac containment units that the U.S. State Department can use to safely evacuate health workers who become infected.

Allen said he’s working with the World Health Organization to increase its capacity for handling the logistics of transporting international aid workers, and he’s establishing a fund to help cover the costs of emergency transportation of the workers.

Money will also help provide decontamination and lab equipment to Liberian hospitals, as well as community outreach and education in Liberia.

– From news service reports

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