The V.I. Health Department is getting ready in case Ebola arrives in the territory, the department said in a Tuesday press release.
“We want to reassure residents that we are implementing the precautionary measures to quickly identify and stop the spread of the virus in the territory,” Health Commissioner Darice Plaskett said.
There are currently no confirmed cases of Ebola in the territory and there have been no patients admitted who are considered to be at high risk, the press release indicated.
The epidemic in West Africa has set off an alarm around the world. Plaskett said Health recognizes that the news of the first case of Ebola in a patient in a Dallas hospital may concern many residents.
According to the press release, Health has taken proactive measures to ensure readiness by conducting clinical education on Ebola and issuing guidance to the district hospitals, health care partners and emergency medical personnel on early detection, safe clinical management and infection control measures.
Last week, Health led a multiagency meeting with officials from the hospitals, federally qualify health centers, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to discuss steps that can be taken to prevent the spread of the disease, Plaskett said.
Plaskett also noted that the representatives were provided with Centers for Disease Control’s hospital and health care provider preparedness checklist for Ebola and the Ebola screening criteria template for hospitals.
Health is directing the hospitals and health care providers to follow protocols established by the CDC to effectively detect a potentially infected patient, protect others from exposure and respond with appropriate patient care. The district hospitals’ emergency room triage procedures now include screening assessment for Ebola that includes a travel history to an Ebola affected area in the last 21 days.
Ebola is a rare but deadly virus that damages the immune system and organs. Early on, Ebola can feel like the flu or other illnesses. Symptoms can take anywhere from two to 21 days to appear and usually include a high fever with a temperature of 101.5, a headache, joint and muscle aches, sore throat, weakness and fatigue, stomach pain and lack of appetite.As the illness progresses, patients may experience vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding.
There is currently no cure for Ebola, but several experimental treatments including blood products made from Ebola survivors, immune therapies and other drugs are being evaluated. While there are no approved vaccines for the virus yet, two drugs are currently undergoing human safety testing, the CDC said. Patients currently receive supportive care for symptoms and are treated with intravenous fluids to prevent severe dehydration.
CDC has issued a travel warning for countries in West Africa that are currently affected by the Ebola outbreak. They include Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Residents are strongly advised to avoid nonessential travel to these destinations.
If you must travel – for example, to do humanitarian aid work in response to the outbreak – protect yourself by following CDC’s advice for avoiding contact with the blood and body fluids of people who are ill with Ebola or who have died from Ebola. Wash hands frequently or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid contact with blood and body fluids of any person, particularly someone who is sick.
Other recommendations for those traveling in an affected area include not handling items that may have come in contact with an infected person’s blood or body fluids. Do not touch the body of someone who has died from Ebola. Do not touch or eat bats and nonhuman primates or their blood. Avoid hospitals where Ebola patients are being treated.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection is conducting exit screening and travel restrictions at all United State ports of entry. When a traveler appears ill or supplies information that would give cause to suspect infection, border patrol personnel will notify the CDC to determine the next appropriate steps.
Health’s territorial epidemiologist, Dr. Esther Ellis, said that travelers returning from West Africa should monitor their health for 21 days if they were in an area with an Ebola outbreak, especially if they were in contact with blood or body fluids, items that have come in contact with blood or body fluids, animals or raw meat, or hospitals where Ebola patients are being treated or participated in burial rituals.
It is also very important to inform emergency medical personnel and providers about recent travel and symptoms before going to emergency room or a provider’s office. Advance notice will help health care responders and providers protect themselves and others who may be in the office or emergency room.
The Health Department will continue to keep the public informed and share information and guidance as it becomes available.
For more information about Ebola, visit www.healthvi.org or www.cdc.gov.
