Health Officials: 90 People In Wisconsin Have Been Monitored For Possible Ebola

4 Cases Have Been Confirmed Nationally Since Outbreak Began

By
Airman Magazine (CC-BY-SA)

State health officials say 90 people in Wisconsin have been monitored for possible Ebola, with none having tested positive.

Local and national health experts gathered in Milwaukee to talk about the disease and the ongoing epidemic in West Africa on Tuesday. State Health Officer Karen McKeown said hospitals, public health departments and first responders are ready if Ebola shows up in Wisconsin.

“They have put a lot of time and effort and thoughtful care into the planning for Ebola. And in the very unlikely event that there was a case, the (health care) partners have put the work in to be able to handle that well,” said McKeown.

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A hospital in Texas was the first in the U.S. to have an Ebola case. The patient in that case was initially misdiagnosed and later died. Three other cases — from Texas, Ohio and New York — have since been confirmed, though all patients in those cases recovered.

Earlier this month, a man was put in isolation at a Madison hospital. Further testing found no evidence of Ebola.

McKeown said hospitals in Wisconsin are set up to take Ebola patients, and that health workers do practice drills.

Category One hospitals or “designated hospitals” are pre-identified facilities that are prepared to care for a laboratory-confirmed Ebola patient. There are three health care systems are Category One: University of Wisconsin Health (University of Wisconsin Hospital and the American Family Children’s Hospital, in Madison); Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin (Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee); and Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

The state has a website where the public can find out more about Ebola.