State hospitals advised to update, practice Ebola procedures

Staff/wire report

COLUMBUS

State health officials on Thursday recommended Ohio hospitals conduct drills this week to practice how they would interact with a potential Ebola patient and use protective equipment such as gloves, masks and suits.

They also asked that hospitals evaluate whether they have adequate supplies of such gear and reach out to the Ohio Department of Health if they need help to ensure they do.

At a congressional hearing Thursday in Washington, Dr. Tom Frieden, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said he remained confident in the ability of the U.S. health care system to combat Ebola.

“Working with our partners we have been able to stop every prior Ebola outbreak, and we will stop this one,” he said. “We know how to control Ebola, even in this period.”

State health officials are urging anyone who had

direct contact or was in close proximity to the Texas health care worker diagnosed with Ebola to take extra precautions over the next three weeks.

Even those who were not in direct contact but were in the vicinity of the Dallas woman during her five-day stay in the state are being urged to monitor their health more closely.

The nurse, 29-year-old Amber Joy Vinson, visited family in the Akron area last weekend, then flew back to Dallas from Cleveland on Monday. She was diagnosed with Ebola the following day.

Vinson had treated the Liberian man who died of the disease in a Dallas hospital.

As a result of her travel to Ohio, Gov. John Kasich was among a host of officials who received calls Thursday from President Barack Obama to discuss steps the administration has taken in response to this latest threat.

Read more on the health scare in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.