Information and Guidance on Ebola for EMS Systems and Providers
November 3, 2014
On September 30, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the first case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the United States. The patient, Thomas Eric Duncan, died on October 8 after being treated for Ebola in a hospital in Texas. Since then there have been three more lab-confirmed cases of EVD in the U.S. but, to this point, no more deaths.
The CDC has established an EVD webpage with information for healthcare workers, including:
- Interim Guidance: EMS Systems & 9-1-1 PSAPs: Management of Patients in the U.S. (Updated October 28)
- Detailed EMS Checklist for Ebola Preparedness
- Checklist for Patients Being Evaluated for EVD in the U.S.
- Facts about Ebola in the U.S. Infographic
- Recommendations on Selection and Use of Personal Protective Equipment for First Responders against Ebola Exposure Hazards (Issued October 24)
On Oct. 15, the NVFC, CFSI, IAFC, and IAFF sent a letter to the Health and Human Services Secretary regarding Ebola and the emergency response community. Find additional resources for Ebola and the emergency services community from the IAFC and the NASEMSO.
Since March 25, when the World Health Organization first announced that the Ministry of Health of Guinea had reported an outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever, there have been a total of 13,703 cases worldwide, including 7,632 that have been laboratory-confirmed, that have caused 4,920 deaths as of October 29. Most of the cases have been in West Africa. On October 8, enhanced Ebola screening procedures at five U.S. airports and a new tracking program for all people entering the U.S. from Ebola-affected countries were announced.
