2 Chicago hospitals designated treatment centers for any possible Ebola cases in Illinois

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The World Health Organization is warning the world about a growing Ebola outbreak.

It is a disease without a vaccine, but local infectious disease experts are confident the United States has the infrastructure in place to control it from spreading into the country.

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Rush University Medical Center and Lurie Children's Hospital have been designated as Elite Special Pathogen Treatment Centers for potential Ebola cases in Illinois.

So far, the outbreak that has killed over 130 people has not reached U.S. soil.

"I think one of the main reasons this is an outbreak of international concern is because it has crossed borders; it has reached large urban centers," said Dr. Stockton Mayer, chief of infectious diseases at University of Illinois Chicago.

The Ebola outbreak is spreading quickly in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. It is a severe and often fatal disease that spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. While an American doctor working in central Africa is being treated for Ebola, Mayer says the likelihood of spread to the United States is low.

"We've been fairly effective at following people that may be at risk for having the disease, or it may have been potentially exposed, or from high-risk areas into certain airports, certain regions," Mayer said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging doctors to screen for any potential Ebola infections in travelers from the outbreak countries, and non-U.S. passport holders coming from the areas face entry restrictions.

Years ago, the U.S. was able to successfully contain Ebola. COVID was different because it's a respiratory virus that spreads more easily. But, Dr. Mayer says the experience gained from pandemic put the scientific community in a better place to deal with future outbreaks.

"I think for this particular outbreak in Uganda, if we do see a case, I think we'll be very well-prepared," Mayer said.

The Illinois Department of Public Health says it will continue to have discussions with the CDC about screenings at ports of departure from affected countries into the U.S.