Ebola Virus: An update on outbreak; symptoms, and actions by local legislators

The Ebola Virus has been a topic dominating the national news front in recent days with a few cases discovered in the United States.

There have been several deaths from the virus in West Africa and one fatality reported in the United States. It caught the attention of U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, (R-IL.), so much that he organized what was dubbed a listening session on the federal response to the virus last Thursday at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Medicine campus.

Infectious disease experts, hospital administrators, public health officials, emergency room doctors, nurses and others participated in the session organized by Davis, the representative for the 13^th District. Those in attendance spoke openly about the Ebola Virus and present medical protocol, Rep. Davis said.

“We received a lot of interesting feedback,” Rep. Davis said of his sessions at SIUE. “We need more protocol and simple information issued by the CDC (Centers For Disease Control) about the Ebola Virus,” he said. “My wife is a nurse, so the Texas Presbyterian Hospital healthcare worker being diagnosed with it caught my attention. ”

Rep. Davis planned to share his findings with representatives with the CDC and said he would work to stay on top of developments with the virus. He said he has received a lot of information from constituents about the virus and he wants to make sure the federal government is doing everything it can to prevent the spread of it elsewhere. He added that the protocol for medical professionals to follow should be the top priority for the CDC.

Rep. Shimkus issues statement on Ebola outbreak

Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-15) made the following statement late this week on the Ebola outbreak:

“I join a growing number of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in calling on President Obama to impose a commercial travel ban between the U.S. and Ebola-stricken countries in West Africa,” he said. “My constituents are quickly losing faith in the Administration’s ability to successfully contain Ebola infections here in the United States and the testimony from CDC and NIH officials at an Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing did little to inspire confidence that quarantine and containment protocols are being consistently followed. As efforts to contain the disease continue, please keep the victims and those caring for the sick in your thoughts and prayers.”

Outbreak Update

On the morning of Oct. 14, a second healthcare worker at Texas Presbyterian Hospital who provided care for the index patient reported to the hospital with a low-grade fever and was isolated. The healthcare worker tested positive for Ebola according to preliminary tests.

On Oct. 10, a healthcare worker at Texas Presbyterian Hospital who provided care for the index patient reported a low-grade fever and was referred for testing. The healthcare worker tested positive for Ebola according to preliminary tests by the Texas Department of State Health Services’ laboratory. The healthcare worker was isolated after the initial report of a fever and remains so now. CDC confirms that the healthcare worker is positive for Ebola.

The CDC is implementing enhanced entry screening at five U.S. airports that receive over 94 percent of travelers from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

A confirmed case of Ebola has been reported in Spain.

On Sept. 30, 2014, the CDC confirmed the first travel-associated case of Ebola to be diagnosed in the United States. The patient died on Oct. 8.

New cases continue to be reported from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

For information on the outbreak in DRC, see the 2014 Ebola Outbreak in DRC page.

In CDC statistics last updated on Oct. 1, there were two total cases in the United States and one death. In the West Africa Ebola outbreak, Liberia reported 4,249 cases; Sierra Leone had 3,252 total cases; and Guinea had 1472 total cases. Liberia reported 2,458 deaths because of Ebola; Sierra Leone had 1,183 total deaths and Guinea had 843 deaths because of the illness.

Nigeria and Senegal have not reported any new cases since September 5, 2014, and August 29, 2014, respectively. All contacts in both countries have now completed their 21-day follow up, with no further cases of Ebola reported.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported cases of Ebola.

The CDC said the signs and symptoms of Ebola include:

• Fever (greater than 38.6°C or 101.5°F)
• Severe headache
• Muscle pain
• Weakness
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal (stomach) pain
• Unexplained hemorrhage (bleeding or bruising)

Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to Ebola, but the average is 8 to 10 days.

Recovery from Ebola depends on good supportive clinical care and the patient’s immune response. People who recover from Ebola infection develop antibodies that last for at least 10 years. There is no FDA-approved vaccine available for Ebola.

Entire Infographic

There is no FDA-approved vaccine available for Ebola.

If you travel to or are in an area affected by an Ebola outbreak, make sure to do the following:

• Practice careful hygiene. For example, wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and avoid contact with blood and body fluids.
• Do not handle items that may have come in contact with an infected person’s blood or body fluids (such as clothes, bedding, needles, and medical equipment).
• Avoid funeral or burial rituals that require handling the body of someone who has died from Ebola.
• Avoid contact with bats and nonhuman primates or blood, fluids, and raw meat prepared from these animals.
• Avoid hospitals in West Africa where Ebola patients are being treated. The U.S. embassy or consulate is often able to provide advice on facilities.
• After you return, monitor your health for 21 days and seek medical care immediately if you develop symptoms of Ebola.

Healthcare workers who may be exposed to people with Ebola should follow these steps:

• Wear protective clothing, including masks, gloves, gowns, and eye protection.
• Practice proper infection control and sterilization measures. For more information, see “Infection Control for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers in the African Health Care Setting”.
• Isolate patients with Ebola from other patients.
• Avoid direct contact with the bodies of people who have died from Ebola.
• Notify health officials if you have had direct contact with the blood or body fluids, such as but not limited to, feces, saliva, urine, vomit, and semen of a person who is sick with Ebola. The virus can enter the body through broken skin or unprotected mucous membranes in, for example, the eyes, nose, or mouth

The 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest in history, affecting multiple countries in West Africa. There were a small number of cases reported in Nigeria and a single case reported in Senegal; however, these cases are considered to be contained, with no further spread in these countries.

One imported case from Liberia and associated locally acquired cases in healthcare workers have been reported in the United States. The CDC and partners are taking precautions to prevent the further spread of Ebola within the United States. CDC is working with other U.S. government agencies, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other domestic and international partners and has activated its Emergency Operations Center to help coordinate technical assistance and control activities with partners. CDC has also deployed teams of public health experts to West Africa and will continue to send experts to the affected countries.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has established an Ebola hotline to answer Illinois residents’ questions about Ebola 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The hotline number is 800-889-3931.

Case counts^*

^*Case counts updated in conjunction with the World Health Organization updates and are based on information reported by the Ministries of Health

As of October 12, 2014

Countries with Widespread Transmission

Countries with Travel-associated Cases

Countries with Localized Transmission

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