North Texas experts reflect on Ebola lessons as WHO declares new emergency
The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa a public health emergency and says the virus is spreading rapidly in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
North Texas has a history with Ebola. In 2014, several people in Dallas were diagnosed with the virus.
"In Dallas, when we hear the word Ebola, there is a higher level of concern because of the experience," said Dr. Jade Le, chief of infectious disease with Access TeleCare.
In 2014, the first Ebola case in the country was confirmed in Dallas. A total of three people contracted the virus, two of them nurses treating an infected patient.
"The symptoms of Ebola are very nonspecific. You have fever, muscle aches, sore throat, headache, any other infection can sound like that… And once you're infected, it takes about 8 to 12 up to 21 days before you have symptoms," said Dr. Le.
Doctor draws on decades of experience
For years, Dr. Le has studied the virus. In 1996, she was a Peace Corps volunteer in Central Africa during the Ebola outbreak. During the 2014 crisis, she worked at UT Southwestern Medical Center screening suspected cases in the metroplex. She says it took time to regain the public's trust.
"There was a lot of concern in the community. I remember patients saying, I'm not going to x hospital because that's the Ebola hospital," said Dr. Le.
Risk remains low outside Central Africa
The World Health Organization says that while the spread of Ebola remains high within Central Africa, the global risk is low.
Dr. Le adds that the 2014 crisis taught North Texas a lot. Hospitals learned how to put protocols in place to screen patients for the virus early on. And with the World Cup just weeks away, even more safeguards have been put in place.
Cities prepare ahead of World Cup
"The major cities in the United States that are going to be hosting FIFA tournaments are part of a Big Cities Health Coalition. They are preparing, and they have been for many months, for the import of infections such as Ebola, Marburg, Hantavirus, etc. They have control centers. They're working with public health departments, hospitals, emergency providers, etc. to be on the lookout and to be aware of these things," said Dr. Le.
The Big Cities Health Coalition consists of 30 urban health departments across the country.
According to Dr. Le, these major hospitals have been designated as sites for isolating, testing, triaging, and treating patients infected with Ebola, Hantavirus, and other pathogens.
"I'm reassured that in these big cities that are hosting FIFA tournaments, they have it, they are prepared," said Dr. Le.
