Maryland Prepares for Ebola
Oct. 02--CUMBERLAND -- State and local health officials have begun preparing for coping with possible cases of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, which kills up to 50 percent or more of the people it infects, according to the World Health Organization. Fatality rates have varied from 25 percent to 90 percent in past outbreaks, according to the WHO.
On Thursday, top health and emergency services officials met in Baltimore to discuss the state's Ebola readiness plan, and Western Maryland Health System officials say the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center has already begun preparing for a possible case of the virus.
"To be clear, Maryland has not had a diagnosed case of Ebola. But part of being the state health department entails preparing for the possibility of such an infection occurring within Maryland," said Secretary Joshua Sharfstein of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Sharfstein was at the Baltimore meeting and later took part in a Twitter chat on Ebola and other infectious diseases. Sharfstein was confident that the state's rural hospitals would be ready to face Ebola. The Times-News took part in the chat.
"All Maryland hospitals should be prepared and have the capacity to handle patients with these kinds of infections," Sharfstein said. Transmission of Ebola is through the same routes as many infectious diseases.
"It's spread through direct contact with blood, body fluids, contaminated objects (like needles and syringes), infected animals," Sharfstein tweeted.
The WMHS has been at work for several months to prepare for possible Ebola cases, said Kathy Rogers, community relations director. "A team has been in place for several months to prepare the hospital for possible cases of Ebola. It is part of the health system's continuousemergency preparedness process," Rogers said. The health system has developed a response plan in the event of an Ebola case based on guidelines from the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.
"WMHS is well-equipped to contain the spread of infectious disease, and the necessary appropriate personal protection equipment (masks, gloves, impermeable gowns, face shields or goggles) is available," Rogers said. Cases of Ebola can be safely managed by any hospital given proper procedures, including isolating a patient in his own room with a private bathroom, Rogers said. Information is another key to controlling the spread of Ebola.
"WMHS has already begun to ask patients coming to the emergencydepartment or being admitted to the hospital if they have traveled outside the United States within the past month and the exact location of their travels," Rogers said.
An Ebola readiness team will continue to meet and follow developments and guidelines from the CDC.
Ebola is believed to have sickened more than 7,100 people in West Africa and killed more than 3,300, according to the WHO. Liberia is one of the three countries hit hardest in the epidemic, along with Sierra Leone and Guinea.
Ebola symptoms can include fever, muscle pain, vomiting and bleeding, and can appear as long as 21 days after exposure to the virus. The disease is not contagious until symptoms begin, according to the Associated Press.
State preparations to cope with disease outbreaks are strong, Sharfstein said.
"DHMH continually is monitoring communicable disease trends both within and outside Maryland. We have a state-of-the art lab testing facility and time-proven protocols and controls that involve working with our medical partners in the private sector, like hospitals and academic research institutions," said Sharfstein. Health care providers are required by law to report any cases of illness that might pose a risk to public health, officials said.
The following steps are now in place for Ebola preparedness, state health officials said.
--Ebola is a reportable condition. Providers and labs are required to report all suspected cases immediately.
--DHMH and local health departments have a 24/7 system to respond to investigate possible Ebola cases and to monitor that appropriate isolation is in place while an assessment is underway.
--Guidance, including how to properly isolate a suspected patient and appropriate personal protective equipment for health care workers and others has been disseminated to hospital emergency departments and infection prevention officials; nursing homes/long-term care facilities; clinical laboratories; and general health care providers.
Next week, the WMHS will hold continuing medical education programs to bring health care professionals up to speed on local plans to cope with Ebola. The programs prepare participants to discuss the current state of the Ebola outbreak and cases in the U.S.; describe the WMHS plan related to screening and infection prevention precautions; and demonstrate the proper donning and removal of personal protective equipment.
Copyright 2014 - Cumberland Times-News, Md.
