Ministry, City and Portage Co. Work Together on Ebola Planning
For the City-Times
Local health leaders are prepared in the event the Ebola virus is diagnosed here.
Ministry Health Care, Portage County Public Health Department, Portage County Emergency Medical Services, along with the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, in collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), are offering intensive training, increased screening, and following CDC guidelines for Ebola.
“At this time, there are no reported cases of Ebola in Wisconsin, and the risk of contracting it remains extremely low,” said Ryan Andrews, MD, Ministry Saint Michael’s Hospital/Ministry Medical Group Chief Medical Officer. “Preparing and collaborating on the federal, state, and local level will ensure that the public and health care providers receive prompt public health information.”
“People are naturally concerned about the Ebola virus, especially with the cases diagnosed in the United States,” said Gary L. Garske, Portage County Public Health Department Health Officer. “While we work together to prepare, it’s also important to reassure the public that Ebola can only be transmitted through contact with the body fluids of people who are sick with the virus, or who have died from it. Ebola cannot be transmitted through the air.”
Healthcare workers say they must be vigilant with following rigorous safety practices in the event they are ever called on to assist or care for an Ebola patient.
“Our first responders take preparedness seriously,” said Stevens Point Fire Chief Bob Finn. “We are developing policies to follow the most current safety practices for putting on and taking off personal protective equipment. We will continue to review and update our plans for transporting and isolating a patient with Ebola, and we continue to practice the best methods of sanitation, including the disposal of waste. Safety remains our top priority.”
For more information about the Ebola virus and Wisconsin’s preparedness efforts, visit: http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/communicable/diseasepages/ebola.htm