News

N.C. County Receives Grant to Strengthen Ebola Response

Michael Todd

07/30/2015

July 29--After West Africa's 2014 Ebola epidemic magnified awareness about the deadly virus' effects -- and local response tactics -- Onslow County Health Department revisited its methods for prevention and management of communicable diseases.

"Ebola, it really took America by storm," said Pamela Brown, health department spokeswoman. "It really captured the public's imagination. It also gave us the opportunity to highlight the importance of public health. We are constantly preparing with our partners for just such a thing."

Ebola is a rare viral hemorrhagic fever that can spur severe headaches, fatigue, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain or "unexplained hemorrhage," according to information from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest in history. "Two imported cases, including one death, and two locally acquired cases in health care workers were reported in the United States."

And this year, the strain flared in Liberia in late June, when a 17-year-old boy contracted the disease and died, according to recent reports by The Associated Press. Last week, Liberia's four Ebola patients had recovered and the country claimed to be Ebola-free.

Brown said Ebola is not "a form of threat for our community" but said the virus has occupied months of planning at the health department since 2014.

To bolster planning, all North Carolina county health departments recently received between $20,000 and $39,000 -- of a total $1.8 million from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- according to a request to Onslow County Board of Commissioners for the funding. Onslow County Health Department's share of $20,000 was approved this week. The funding is distributed via N.C. Public Health Preparedness.

"Because Onslow County residents travel internationally, and because we have many tourists who vacation in our community, the health department, hospitals, emergency management, EMS, law enforcement and other partners worked diligently to complete an Ebola-response plan for the county," according to the health department's request. The funding is designated "to support the writing of several Ebola-related plans as well as continued training with community partners as Ebola and other diseases continue to be a threat."

The funding also will cover training, staff education and the purchase of "PPE," or personal-protective equipment, Brown said.

"PPE is equipment worn to minimize exposure to a variety of hazards," according to information from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration website. "Examples of PPE include such items as gloves, foot and eye protection, protective hearing devices -- earplugs, muffs -- hard hats, respirators and full body suits."

Brown said the department is looking at its PPE stocks.

"We want to make sure that we have adequate stocks at the hospital, and for law enforcement and EMS," she added.

The health department provided a breakdown of the funding's use in "Ebola preparedness and response," according to the health department's request:

$3,000 for salary and wages.
$1,000 for office supplies.
$5,000 for departmental supplies.
$2,500 for non-capitalized equipment.
$2,500 for non-capitalized computer-technology equipment.
$1,000 for travel.
$5,000 for training.

"These expenditures will allow the health department to meet the requirements ... by paying staff to write the four plans, and develop and host the three meetings-training sessions," according to the health department's request. "Equipment and supplies to support the plans -- portable hand-washing stations, PPE, tablets-computers, folders for monitoring travelers, etc. -- will also be purchased."

In addition, "some meetings-trainings may be away from the health department facility, necessitating travel," according to the health department's request.

Brown said the health department is researching the extent of the money's possible use. She also said the county and local military has an Ebola plan amid numerous response toolkits.

In the last year, "a lot of exercises and training went into beefing up our plan," Brown said.

"We have practiced it, worked on it," she said. "The CDC knew that Ebola was not going to fall off the map."

The plan is a work in progress, however, as are most public-health-response guides, Brown said.

"These emergency plans are kind of dynamic," she added.

The plan requires periodic meetings among multiple county and military agencies.

"We also are thinking about bringing in more specific training in epidemiology or case management and tracing the origin of disease," Brown said.

Preparation has two components: a plan for prevention and a plan to manage the virus' presence.

Emergency-response duties are distinguished in response to a communicable disease: those called to the home first limit contact with the infected patient; those who transport the patient will have PPE; and public-health workers will conduct "contact tracing" -- locating and documenting those possibly in contact with the patient, Brown said.

"That's why we have one seamless plan across multiple agencies," she added.

For more information about Ebola and preparedness, visit CDC.gov.