Lincoln County Health Department, Ministry Good Samaritan Health Center, Ministry Sacred Heart Hospital, Ministry Medical Group and Lincoln County Emergency Management, in collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), are preparing in the event the Ebola virus is diagnosed here.
“At this time, there are no reported cases of Ebola in Wisconsin, and the risk of contracting it remains extremely low,” said Shelley Hersil, Health Officer, Lincoln County Health Department “Preparing and collaborating on the federal, state, and local level will ensure that the public and health care providers receive prompt public health information.”
“People are naturally concerned about the Ebola virus, especially with the cases recently diagnosed in the United States,” said Jeff Kraft, Lincoln County Emergency Management. “While we work together to prepare, it’s also important to reassure the public that Ebola can only be transmitted through contact with the body fluids of people who are sick with the virus, or who have died from it. Ebola cannot be transmitted through the air.”
Health care workers and first responders are keenly aware that they must be especially vigilant with following rigorous safety practices in the event they are ever called on to assist or care for an Ebola patient.
“Ministry Health Care hospitals have policies and plans in place for situations like this and we review and train with staff on a regular basis to ensure we are prepared in the event of an actual situation,” said Dr. Michael Clark, medical director of Ministry’s system wide Incident Management Team. “Hospital leaders across the system will continue to be on alert and take all necessary steps to remain prepared in the event the disease continues to spread in the US including the recent activation of a system wide Incident Command Team to assist with education, training and communications.”
“We want to stress that there are no reported cases of Ebola in Wisconsin, and the risk of contracting it remains extremely low in Wisconsin,” said Karen McKeown, State Health Officer. “DHS remains vigilant in its monitoring of the Ebola virus, and will continue to provide our partners and the public with the most current information and guidance concerning this disease.”
For more information about the Ebola virus and Wisconsin’s preparedness efforts, visit: www.lincolncountyhealthdepartment.comor call the toll free hotline 1-844-684-1064, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The calls are free, confidential, and multi-lingual.