The first meeting of the Richland County Ebola Response Planning Team was held Oct. 6 at Richland Public Health.
Communicable disease experts and emergency planning response agencies from Richland Public Health, OhioHealth MedCentral Hospitals, Richland County Law Enforcement, Richland County Emergency Management Agency and the Richland County Coroner’s office met to discuss community level preparedness in managing patients with Ebola and other infectious diseases.
“We do not have a case of Ebola in Ohio,” said Mary Derr, epidemiologist at Richland Public Health. “These meetings are to make sure we have practical and specific steps in place to respond to an Ebola case in Richland County.”
Among items discussed at the first meeting was a review of infection control policies and procedures as well as plans for administrative, environmental, and communication measures. Healthcare coalition members are working to define, along with their members, work practices that will be required to detect persons possibly infected with Ebola or other infectious diseases; prevent the spread through the community; and manage the impact on patients, healthcare facilities, and staff. The Planning Team referenced the “Checklist for Healthcare Coalitions for Ebola Preparedness” released by the CDC and the Assistant Secretary for Emergency Response.
Part of that planning is a plea to volunteer organizations including church groups with global missionary plans to advise Richland Public Health if they have individuals who will be traveling overseas, or have traveled in the past 21 days, to these areas in Africa: Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, or Sierra Leone. If so, please immediately call Public Health Nursing at 419-774-4540 with a list of travelers.
Early detection is critical for any patient suspected of having Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). Ebola virus symptoms include fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, lack of appetite, and abnormal bleeding. Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure.
Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids, including sweat or saliva, of an infected symptomatic person or through exposure to objects (such as needles) that have been contaminated. It is not a respiratory disease like flu and is not transmitted through the air, from food or through water.
As of Oct. 10, there is only one confirmed case of Ebola in the United States (in Dallas, Texas). That case ended in a fatality. There have been 8,399 cases confirmed in Africa from which there have been 4,033 deaths (as of Oct. 10).
The Ebola Response Planning Team will have their next meeting on October 20.
