Sacramento County Monitoring Two People For Signs Of Ebola

Sacramento county health officials say just two people have arrived from Ebola-affected countries in the past month.

Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye says the recent travelers show no signs of illness, but are being asked to monitor and report their temperature twice a day.

"Those two are very low risk, they did visit those countries, but they didn't come into any contact with anyone who was sick while they were there."

Kasirye says the monitoring is part of a national effort by the Centers for Disease Control. She says the CDC sends states contact information about travelers from the affected countries, so local agencies can monitor them.

“They will take their temperature twice a day, and we give them instructions as to how to do it, we actually watch them do it to make sure they understand what we want them to do. And then they will call us each time they take their temperature so that we can record it.” 

The County says the risk of Ebola infection locally is low, but all regional hospitals must be prepared to treat an Ebola patient for a minimum of two days.

The California Hospital Association says health care workers will begin training under new Centers for Disease Control guidelines for dealing with Ebola.

The Association says that includes the use of fluid-resistant gowns that leave no skin exposed. It also involves a protocol for putting on and taking off protective equipment, and using a "buddy system" to do so.

Jan Emerson-Shea of the Association says the training will focus on people who are most likely to treat Ebola.

"Particularly those health care workers that are in those areas of the hospitals that are in highest risk to see an ebola patient and that would be obviously an emergency department, ICU, and isolation rooms," says Emerson-Shea.

Hospitals say there are still discussions about which facilities would be designated to receive Ebola patients if the need arises.