Connecticut creates Ebola information site for citizens

Connecticut has launched a website to inform the state’s residents about the Ebola virus and the efforts the state has made to stop it from spreading.

The “Facts about Ebola in the U.S.,” featured on the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s website, will be linked to the homepage of all of the state’s agencies and departments.

“Many residents have questions and concerns. For that reason, we felt it was important to create a localized site where information will be updated on an ongoing basis,” Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy said in a release. “While there are no cases of Ebola in Connecticut, we are taking safety measures to prevent the spread of this virus should someone in our state become sick with Ebola. Our health officials and Unified Command Team have been meeting to prepare for a potential case here in Connecticut.”

The site provides risk information about Ebola virus infection, a map of the West African countries affected by the disease, and links to additional resources and information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as other state health care partners.

The site also includes resources for health care providers, including guidance from the CDC on the use of personal protective equipment by health care personnel.

“While a widespread outbreak of Ebola in our country remains unlikely, we still want residents to have information they need to understand how Connecticut is preparing,” Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Jewel Mullen said in the release. “This site provides people with access to timely and accurate information about Ebola and the work the state and its partners are doing to protect Connecticut.”

More than 10,000 people, primarily in West Africa, have contracted Ebola, according to the World Health Organization, making this the biggest outbreak on record. Of those reported cases, more than 4,900 people have died.

There have been four reported cases within the United States with one death, but each of those cases has gotten significant media attention leading to increased fear about the disease and its ability to spread.

Connecticut’s site in many ways aims to dispel a number of myths about the disease and calm some of the fears about the impact it could have in the United States.

To date, Connecticut has also taken the following steps to combat Ebola:

• The governor signed an executive order to grant authority to Mullen to quarantine an individual or group of individuals who have or may have been exposed to the disease.

• Department of Public Health is ensuring hospital and health system readiness to detect, protect and treat patients infected with Ebola.

• Malloy convened a Unified Command Team (UCT) to ensure statewide coordination in the ongoing emergency management efforts and to provide clear communication to the public.

• Most recently, the UCT is in the process of conducting a review of municipal and state agency inventories of Personal Protective Equipment.