Nina Pham Ebola Update: Amber Vinson Possibly Had Symptoms Longer Than Thought

Nina Pham, the first American to contract Ebola on U.S. soil, was transferred from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas Thursday, Dallas Fort-Worth CBS reported. She is being taken to National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, which is one of the four hospitals in the U.S. that specializes in treating Ebola.

Pham, 26, left on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) flight at 7:10 p.m. EDT local time. Wearing protective gear, she walked from an ambulance to the plane on her own accord, the news site wrote. She was still listed in “good” condition Thursday.

Before her transfer, she released a statement through Presbyterian Hospital. “I’m so thankful for the outpouring of love and support from friends and family, my co-workers and complete strangers. I feel very blessed, and have gained strength from their support,” she said. “I appreciate everything that my coworkers have done to care for me at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. I’m doing really well thanks to this team, which is the best in the world. I believe in my talented coworkers. I am #presbyproud!”

The other nurse who contracted the disease, Amber Vinson, 29, might have had the virus for longer than officials originally thought. Vinson flew on a flight from Dallas to Cleveland, and she might have been contagious on both of her flights, CNN reported Thursday.

Vinson flew on Saturday and Monday. She was admitted to the hospital Tuesday and was diagnosed with Ebola. It was originally reported that Vinson didn't show any symptoms of the viral disease on Monday’s flight. This is important because Ebola is not contagious if the infected person is not symptomatic.

Dr. Chris Braden of the CDC told reporters that Vinson might have started showing symptoms Saturday. "So this new information now is saying we need to go back now to the flight that she took on Friday the 10th and include them in our investigation of contacts," Braden said, according to CNN.

The CDC is going to get in contact with the people who flew on both flights with Vinson as a precautionary measure.

Vinson was flown to Atlanta's Emory University Hospital. She has been labled as “ill but stable.”

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