Austin County Judge Carolyn Bilski’s office, today, released information concerning Ebola and what the Austin County Community needs to know about the virus:

Your Community:  Ebola – What You Need to Know

Quick Take-Aways

  • The likelihood of an Ebola outbreak occurring in the U.S. remains extremely low, even considering the confirmation of cases that may be diagnosed here.
  • The infection control and contact investigation practices used in the U.S. are very advanced and well configured to contain infectious diseases, including Ebola.
  • The U.S. public health system has specific procedures in place to help identify and isolate persons who are sick with Ebola and to do the same for their contacts.
  • And finally, we would like to remind everyone that they are more likely to become ill with flu, measles and other vaccine-preventable illnesses than Ebola.

What is Ebola and am I at risk?

Ebola is a severe and often fatal disease caused by a virus. A large outbreak is now occurring in West Africa but you can only get Ebola by being in direct contact with body fluids (blood. vomit. urine. Stool, or sweat) of a person who is sick with Ebola. You cannot get Ebola through the air, food or water.

The risk of Ebola being spread in a school is extremely low. Coming into contact with people who do not have fever or other symptoms poses no risk to the public, even with recent travel to the affected countries in Africa.

Who should seek medical attention?

If you visited a country affected by the Ebola outbreak (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone) and develop a fever within 21 days you should seek medical care right away. You should call your doctor’s office or emergency room about your recent travel and any symptoms. Symptoms may include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain.

What if an employee or co–worker has recently traveled to/from one of the affected countries?

  • Supervisors should notify the Medical Director/Human Resources department even if the person has no current illness.
  • Supervisors should make sure staff who have visited an Ebola-affected country in the past 21 days and have developed a fever or other symptoms have been told to:
    • call their healthcare provider so he/she will be expecting them and
    • seek medical care right away.

Where Can I Get More Information About Ebola?

  • Harris County Public Health & Environmental Services (HCPHES) has developed an Ebola page to assist partners and stakeholders in remaining informed about issues relevant to Ebola (http://www.hcphes.org/response/Ebola.htm).
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more information about Ebola, their prevention activities, and the outbreak in West Africa (http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/)..
  • American Psychological Association has published an online article on Managing your fear about Ebola (http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/ebola-fear.aspx).