The threat of Ebola made its way to London as two patients were brought in from the Kitchener-Waterloo region with Ebola-like symptoms. Preliminary blood tests on the two came back negative for the Ebola Virus Disease, but the two remain in isolation undergoing further testing.
Dr. Chris Mackie, Medical Officer of Health and CEO at the Middlesex-London Health Unit, is encouraged by the response of staff and patients in dealing with a potential Ebola-crisis.
“People have been pretty reasonable in their responses. We’re getting a couple people calling and saying they’re concerned for their family’s safety, which they really don’t need to be. The risk to the general public is vanishingly low here.”
He is confident that the system that Victoria Hospital has in place will enable them to continue to see success, especially if a genuine Ebola case were to come through the door. The infrastructure in place, including a negative pressure isolation room. The quality of tools as well as a well-trained support staff add to the preparedness of a possible Ebola outbreak.
“There’s always the potential that there’s going to be a breakdown, or the patient’s that are required to self-report are going to minimize or deny their symptoms, or that someone will make a mistake in their protocols. But we haven’t seen that. We’ve actually seen everything falling into place well, and I think it actually bodes well for Ebola readiness.”
Persons travelling from Ebola-stricken areas are required to be checked both before they leave and once they enter Canada. Upon arrival, they are monitored for 21 days, and are expected to provide any information pertaining to illnesses to local health administrators.
