FACT CHECK: Did George Washington University Hospital Stop Accepting Patients Due To A ‘Possible Ebola Outbreak’?

Christine Sellers | Fact Check Reporter

An image of a tweet shared on Facebook purports George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C. stopped accepting patients due to “a possible Ebola outbreak.”

Verdict: False

A hospital spokesperson denied the claim in an email to Check Your Fact. There is no evidence any Ebola cases have been detected in Washington D.C.

Fact Check:

African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said an Ebola outbreak that began in Uganda in September is “coming under control” Thursday, Reuters reported. The country was reportedly expecting to officially declare an end to its year-long outbreak if no new cases were reported on Tuesday, according to CBS News.

The Facebook post purports George Washington University Hospital stopped accepting patients due to a “possible Ebola outbreak.” The post further claims Washington Hospital Center had no bed space with “a line out the door.”

The claim is false. There are no credible news reports suggesting George Washington University Hospital stopped accepting patients due to a “possible Ebola outbreak.” Likewise, neither the hospital’s website nor the Washington Hospital Center has mentioned any outbreak of Ebola in the facility.

“An erroneous statement was circulating on Twitter last night (January 4, 2023) regarding an alleged Ebola outbreak at The George Washington University Hospital,” spokesperson Kimberly Russo told Check Your Fact via email. “GW Hospital has no Ebola patients, is fully open to serve the community and is under normal operations.”

A statement similar to Russo’s has been shared on the hospital’s Twitter account. (RELATED: Did Chicago Authorities Isolate Travelers Suspected Of Having Ebola?)

The claim originally stems from @Killmoenetwork on Twitter, describing itself as an “independent news outlet covering crime, fire, and other issues here in the Dmv area.” The tweet making the purported claim about George Washington University Hospital appears to have since been deleted.

Check Your Fact has also contacted a Washington Hospital Center spokesperson for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.

Christine Sellers

Fact Check Reporter

Trending