Ebola Protection Recommendations & FAQs
INFORMATION ON EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE
As we have learned from the international press and media, the World Health Organization (WHO) has categorized the Ebola virus as a ”Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)”. The disease is often fatal with death rates up to 90%.
According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest in history, affecting multiple countries in West Africa. 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.
On October 20, the CDC released a fact sheet on Tightened Guidance for Health Care Workers on PPE for Ebola: http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/fs1020-ebola-personal-protective-equipment.html
On October 31, 2014 the WHO released guidance on Personal Protective Equipment in the context of Filovirus outbreak response: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2014/ebola-ppe-guidelines/en/
This brief is not a substitute for the guidance of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization WHO) or your local health authority. Please consult their websites for the most current information and infection control procedures regarding Ebola virus disease.
The following is a summary of some of the key information published by the WHO (source: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/faq-ebola/en/ and http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2014/ebola-ppe-guidelines/en/). Please note that we have inserted the emphasis on WHO references to the use of personal protective equipment and protective measures.