In response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) announcement that there is a confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (Ebola) in Texas, the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) issued a press release Thursday indicating that there are no suspected cases of Ebola in the city.
“We do not anticipate an outbreak of Ebola to occur here, however if a suspected case of Ebola should occur, the Health Department is well prepared and equipped to swiftly respond,” said Mitchell Kushner, MD, MPH, City of Long Beach health officer. “The Health Department has been actively preparing for a possible case of Ebola in Long Beach. We are confident that the level of precaution required to protect against Ebola is well within the capabilities of hospitals in Long Beach.”
The Health Department has taken proactive steps by providing information about Ebola, its diagnosis, and the management of suspected cases to healthcare providers and all hospitals throughout the city, according to the press release. Last month, the Health Department met with healthcare partners from the five major hospitals in Long Beach to discuss Ebola preparedness and readiness. In the event of a single case or even multiple cases of illness, the Health Department and its hospital partners have the ability to identify and diagnose any suspected Ebola case, isolate any patient with a confirmed diagnosis, provide appropriate care with strict infection control and work with those who have had contact with the patient, according to the Health Department. Hospitals in Long Beach with the ability to provide a patient his or her own room and bathroom are able to isolate that patient and provide competent and complete medical care for Ebola, according to the press release.
“It is important to note that the risk of spreading Ebola is very low in the U.S. and in Long Beach,” Kushner said. “Ebola patients can only spread the disease when they have symptoms, and a person ‘catches’ this illness only when they have direct contact with an infected person’s body fluids. Avoiding direct contact with the patient and his or her fluids protects others from infection.”
People should avoid unnecessary travel to countries in West Africa that are currently affected by the Ebola outbreak, such as Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
Those who have recently visited one of these countries and had contact with someone infected with Ebola are encouraged to visit their doctor and discuss their travel history. Those who visited one of these countries but did not have contact with anyone infected with Ebola should take their temperature twice a day. If a fever or other symptoms within 21 days upon return to the US occurs, they should visit their doctor.
For more information about Ebola, visit the CDC webpage at cdc.gov/vhf/ebola .
Source: LB Health Dept.
