COLUMBUS, Ohio – Amid concerns about the spread of the Ebola virus in the United States following the death of the first patient diagnosed with the virus in the country, health officials say they are putting plans in place for responding to any cases that might be reported in Ohio.
EXTRA: Reed the facts about Ebola
Columbus Public Health, Franklin County Public Health and the Ohio Department of Health have coordinated with ambulance companies, fire departments and hospitals to create a system for monitoring and controlling infectious diseases and authorities say they will continue to watch the situation and share information with the public.
The state Department of Health has been working with hospitals, local health departments and other healthcare professionals since July, department public information officer Melanie Amato said.
Ebola does not pose an imminent risk to Ohio residents but, out of “an abundance of caution” the health department is urging doctors, clinics and hospitals to step up preparedness efforts, Amato said.
Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with blood or body fluids of someone who has symptoms, such as fever, headache, weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and unexplained bleeding.
Only people who have traveled to Guinea, Liberia, or Sierra Leone or have had close contact with a person known or suspected to have Ebola are considered to be at risk.
The Delaware General Health District is asking who has traveled or is planning to travel to those countries, and any organizations or churches planning to send members there, to contact the district at 740-368-1700.
The protocol for a health care who believes a patient may have Ebola-like symptoms is to call their local health department, which then contacts the state health department, said Amato.
The state agency reviews whether the individual’s symptoms, travel history and potential exposure to Ebola meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and, if there is reason to believe testing needs to be done, the hospital will send a sample to the state’s lab and the state will forward it to the CDC for testing, Amato said.