Ebola warning goes out to GPs but Health say “risk is very low”

Thursday 09 October 2014

Jersey doctors have been told to treat any ill people who have been to Ebola-affected areas with “a high level of suspicion” in a warning note that went out yesterday.

The Health and Social Services department say that “stringent infection control procedures” will be used to deal with any possible Ebola patients, as well as healthcare workers who deal with them and lab staff handling specimens.

Although the risk of Ebola contact in Jersey is very low, the department has issued updated advice to GPs and to all of the doctors working at the hospital. They have all been told to urgently contact the Consultant Microbiologist if they suspect that they are dealing with a patient with Ebola – any confirmed cases of Ebola would be transferred under special protocols to the High Level Isolation Unit in England.

The disease has spread to around 7,200 people in West Africa in the last few weeks, and has killed almost half that number, The first few cases have also been confirmed outside of Africa – a Spanish nurse has become the first case in Europe, and one man has died of the disease in the US.

Jersey’s top public health official, Dr Susan Turnbull said: “Since the emergence of the current outbreak earlier in 2014, we have been, and continue to be kept regularly abreast of the national and international situation by our UK networks: be it the Chief Medical Officer, Public Health England or via the Emergency Planning routes.

“My colleague Dr Muscat and I are also keeping a close eye on a daily basis on new information emerging from the international authorities.

 “The chances of a person arriving in Jersey, after exposure in an infected area, but before they have developed symptoms cannot be ruled out. That is why we have been working hard to be as well-informed and well-prepared as possible.

“I would like to stress that this risk is still considered very low; lower here in Jersey than in mainland UK because of the extra time delay in reaching Jersey from affected areas, usually via UK or EU hub airports.

“Please be assured that if we find ourselves dealing with a probable case, we would be working hand-in-hand with our UK expert colleagues to ensure that the patient receives the best possible care and that risk to others is minimised.”

Consultant Microbiologist Dr Ivan Muscat added: “The Ebola virus is transmitted through close and direct physical contact with infected bodily fluids, the most infectious being blood, faeces and vomit.  It is not an airborne infection – like a flu virus. It is not transmitted from person to person in any normal social or domestic situations.

“The incubation period of Ebola virus is between two and 21 days, although the typical time from exposure to infection, to a person developing symptoms is only seven days. It is also important to be aware that people incubating the virus are not infectious to others before they have developed symptoms.”