Download Erie County Health Advisory #326 Ebola FR 12-10-2014
ERIE COUNTY HEALTH ADVISORY # 326 December 10, 2014
EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE (EVD) UPDATE / FIRST RESPONDERS
Please distribute to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) and First Response Agencies
UPDATE
The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) is informing first responder agencies and Public Safety Answering Points that travel to the West Africa country of Mali has been added as a risk factor for EVD by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).¹
- Healthcare providers should consider both a patient’s symptoms and epidemiologic risk, including a history of travel to a country with widespread EVD (Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) or Mali within the previous 21 days, when EVD is suspected.
- The updated case definition for a Person Under Investigation (PUI) for Ebola is as follows:
- Elevated body temperature or subjective fever or symptoms, including severe headache, fatigue, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or unexplained hemorrhage; AND
- An epidemiologic risk² factor within the 21 days before the onset of symptoms which includes a travel history to a country with widespread Ebola virus transmission³ (currently Guinea, Liberia, Mali and Sierra Leone) or contact within the preceding 21 days with a person with Ebola while the person was symptomatic.
- Immediately report all PUI of EVD to the ECDOH Epidemiology and Surveillance Office at (716) 858-7697 during normal business hours and (716) 961-7898 after hours, weekends, and holidays.
REVIEW OF LOCAL GUIDANCE
Erie County Division of Emergency Medical Services will continue to post updated guidance as it is issued by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) at http://erie.gov/ems. From that page select the “Ebola” button to go directly to the available guidance.
PSAP’s should become familiar with the PUI definition that the ECDOH has issued. When indicated, additional questions regarding Ebola risk factors should be addressed with the caller. A poster is attached to this Health Advisory explaining the indications for an Ebola case.
In the event a PSAP identifies a PUI upon the interrogation of the caller, this information should be conveyed to first responders so they can apply appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and limit the number of individuals who will be exposed to the patient.
The NYS DOH Commissioner’s Order, issued on October 16, 2014 is still in effect. This is also available on the website. The order has specific PPE and training guidance. We encourage all first response agencies to become familiar and comply with these directives.
If you encounter a patient that may be considered a PUI, limit the number of responders who will be exposed to the patient. Interviewing the patient at a distance or through the door may be a strategy to limit the exposure to first responders.
When a PUI is identified by first responders, the ECDOH would like to be notified as soon as possible. This can be accomplished by calling the telephone numbers listed above or by requesting MERS Control to contact the Epidemiologist on call.
The Epidemiologists are available by telephone 24/7 and will assist to review the circumstances to identify cases of concern. Medical Control can also be used to consult from the scene to identify PUI cases.
In the event a PUI is transported to the hospital, ensure that the hospital is made aware of the situation as soon as possible. The hospitals have internal procedures to process any suspected cases that involve isolation of the patient. All hospitals are required to be able to receive these patients. NYS DOH has designated E.C.M.C. and Women and Childrens Hospital as Ebola treatment facilities.
¹http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/index.html
²http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/exposure/risk-factors-when-evaluating-person-for-exposure.html
³http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/distribution-map.html
Health Category Definitions:
Health Alert FLASH: conveys the highest level of importance due to a large-scale, catastrophic public health emergency; warrants immediate action or attention
Health Alert Priority: conveys the highest level of importance; warrants immediate action or attention to a health problem or situation
Health Advisory: provides important information for a specific incident or situation; may not require immediate action
Health Update: provides updated information regarding an incident or situation; no immediate action necessary
The Erie County Department of Health does not provide medical advice. The information provided on the Erie County Department of
Health website is not an attempt to practice medicine and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your personal physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or issue. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of the content found on the Erie County Department of Health website or this correspondence.
The ECDOH Health Alert & Advisory System is an e-mail notification system designed to alert community partners about important health related information. You can sign up to receive alerts & advisories at http://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=node/59.
Thanks
—
John Adolf| Deputy Commissioner
Erie County | Health – EMS
3359 Broadway St., | Cheektowaga, NY 14227
P:(716) 681-6070 | F:(716) 681-5256
John.Adolf@erie.gov|http://www.erie.gov