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To a certain extent, yes. We obviously have much better equipment but I say this only extends to handling a few "single" cases of Ebola in specific hospitals ac

To a certain extent, yes. We obviously have much better equipment but I say this only extends to handling a few "single" cases of Ebola in specific hospitals across the nation. However, now that Ebola is actually in the US, what precautionary measures do hospitals and healthcare workers take? If I show up to a hospital in Texas right now with symptoms such as a high fever, sore throat, and diarrhea, do you treat me as as a normal patient or assume Ebola since it's now appeared within the US? These are extremely commons symptoms and once Ebola is here, which it is, handling patients is going to be much different which affects its likelihood to be contained.

giarc 12y ago
You will see that the CDC defines a case as someone showing symptoms but also has epidemiological link to an EVD case or EVD suspect case. Just being in Texas is not a epi link as there has been no confirmed transmission. [1] http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/case-definition.html http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/case-definition.html
cvanlaw 12y ago
There's also the issue of waste disposal. After a patient is identified can most US hospitals handle the extra waste? I saw this (http://www.cnbc.com/id/102027557 http://www.cnbc.com/id/102027557) earlier, and it sounds like the hospital in Atlanta that treated those two cases had trouble with waste disposal initially.
snowwrestler 12y ago
The typical precautions in a U.S. hospital will prevent most transmission of Ebola. Doctors and nurses already wear gloves, wash their hands frequently, and avoid contact with bodily fluids to the greatest extent possible.