|
|
|
Ebola - Information for Health Care Providers
|
Information is being updated regularly. To ensure you have access to
the most current information, please visit:
Documents for Providers:
All links open in a new browser window.
All pdfs are <1MB.
Links to Guidance for Providers:
Management of Possible Ebola Virus Disease
in Outpatient
Health Care Settings
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a rare and deadly disease caused by
infection with the Ebola virus. Ebola infection is associated with
fever of greater than 38.0°C or 100.4°F. Additional symptoms may
include:
- severe headache
- muscle pain
- vomiting, diarrhea
- abdominal pain
- unexplained hemorrhage
Ebola is spread through direct contact with broken skin or mucous
membranes with the blood or body fluids of a person who is sick with
Ebola, or contact with objects that have been contaminated with these
fluids. These fluids include but are not limited to:
- urine, saliva, feces, vomit
- sweat, breast milk, and semen
The main source for spread is human-to-human transmission. Ebola is
not spread through air or water.
Persons are not contagious before they are symptomatic.
The time from exposure until onset of symptoms is typically 8-10
days, but can range from 2-21 days.
The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County reminds health
care personnel and health officials to:
- Increase their vigilance in inquiring about a history of travel
to West Africa in the 21 days before illness onset for any patient
presenting with fever or other symptoms consistent with Ebola;
- Isolate patients who are exhibiting Ebola symptoms and who
report a travel history to an Ebola-affected country (currently
Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea) in a private room and implement
standard, contact, and droplet precautions (gowns, facemask, eye
protection, gloves);
- Call 911 and advise them of a suspect Ebola case,
- Notify the Department of Health in Sarasota County at
941-861-2900 (available 24/7/365)
- Maintain client confidentiality and develop a list of all
persons in your healthcare setting.
- For the CDC EVD Patient Evaluation Checklist, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/checklist-patients-evaluated-us-evd.pdf
- For additional information:
http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/ebola-algorithm.pdf
Though Ebola is not a serious threat in our region, DOH-Sarasota is
committed to ensuring the public’s health by providing up-to-date
information to our community. For further information on the signs
and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of EVD as well as additional
materials pertaining to healthcare workers, please visit the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention’s Ebola website:
http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/
|
