PMC participating in Ebola preparedness
Parmer Medical Center (PMC) is aware of the current cases of Ebola. PMX has been participating in conference calls and webinars with officials from the Texas Department of State Health Services and Centers for Disease Control CDC). PMC also receives frequent alerts, updates, and guidelines for Ebola published by these agencies.
Symptoms of Ebola include but are not limited to: headache, fever greater than 101.5 degrees orally, weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or hemorrhage. These symptoms, along with a known exposure or a recent travel history to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and some parts of Nigeria in Western Africa, need to be evaluated. A recent travel history is defined as travel within the last 21 days.
Ebola is spread by direct contact with infected bodily fluids, such as blood, urine, feces, and sweat. Proper hand washing with soap and water for 20 seconds is essential to preventing the spread of any disease.
When caring for potential Ebola infected patients, the CDC recommends hospitals and health care workers wear gloves, gowns, and masks when caring for these patients. It is important to know that health care workers may wear these same items when caring for patients with other potentially infectious illnesses to prevent further spread of the of the infection.
Parmer Medical Center is supporting the CDC and the Texas Department of State Health Services recommendation for all persons to get their flu shot this year. The signs and symptoms of Ebola can initially resemble that of the common flu. However, a travel history to the effected West African nations is the distinguishing factor.
For more information on Ebola, please refer to the CDC website at www.cdc.gov. This is an excellent, up-to-date resource.
