April 4, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Los Angeles County health officials prepared for protection against Ebola

Local health officials told the Board of Supervisors today that they are fully prepared to protect Los Angeles County residents
from the Ebola virus, but do not expect an outbreak.

“There are no cases of Ebola in Los Angeles County,” said Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, the interim head of the Department of Public Health.

The case of a patient in Dallas, who was originally turned away and later determined to have the often deadly virus, has raised the level of concern and fear across the country.

The World Health Organization has reported more than 7,400 cases of Ebola and more than 3,400 deaths due to the virus in the West African countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

“The epidemic is out of control,” Gunzenhauser said. He added that experts now project that there may be more than 20,000 cases within the month.

But Gunzenhauser stressed that the spread of the disease has been rampant in countries where access to basic healthcare is very limited, and Los Angeles County boasts a “first-class healthcare system.”

Dr. Mitchell Katz, who runs the county’s hospital system, said he believed that any cases here could be effectively isolated.

“If there is a case of Ebola, we will be able to protect that patient, prevent the spread and protect our healthcare workers,” Katz told the board.

Healthcare workers and support staff at public and private hospitals have been alerted to the risks and trained in appropriate protocols, he said.

“We’re doing all we can to inform front-line providers … to call us immediately” if any suspected case is identified, Katz said.

There have been seven cases where county healthcare workers had to assume that patients had Ebola, based on symptoms and travel histories, according to Katz. All seven were put in isolation and confirmed not to have the virus, he said, pointing to the work as an effective training exercise.

The kind of precautions required to prevent the spread of the disease are already in regular use, both county health directors said.

Ebola is contagious only through direct contact with an infected patient or their bodily fluids and cannot be transmitted through the air, making it easier to contain, they said.

No high-tech equipment is required to effectively isolate a patient, Gunzenhauser said.

“All you need is a room with a door and a private bathroom,” he said. Staff need to be trained to always wear protective gear.

A nurse’s assistant in Spain contracted the virus after treating two patients who died of Ebola. She has been cited as the first case of the virus contracted outside of West Africa.

In addition to training healthcare workers, county officials have been coordinating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Airport officials also have a protocol in place in the event a passenger needs to be transported to a local hospital, Gunzenhauser said, while pointing out that “there are no direct flights from Western Africa to Los Angeles.”

Supervisor Michael Antonovich, who asked for the update on precautions being taken against Ebola, noted that travelers in China submit to temperature checks as part of regional efforts to control the spread of disease. He asked whether a similar
procedure could be instituted here.

Gunzenhauser said he believed airlines were considering the possibility, but he couldn’t say how likely it was to be instituted.

President Barack Obama said Monday that additional screening measures were being considered, calling Ebola a national security priority.

Related Posts

Suspect Arrested and Charged in March 27 Hit-and-Run Death

April 4, 2025

April 4, 2025

The Victim Was on the Way to His Job at the Beverly Hills Hotel  A 20-year-old man has been arrested...

LAPD to Conduct DUI Checkpoints and Saturation Patrols Across L.A. This Weekend

April 4, 2025

April 4, 2025

Checkpoints and Saturation Patrols Target High-Risk Areas, Come With High Penalties The Los Angeles Police Department will conduct a series...

Man Arrested After Violent Robbery During Camera Equipment Meetup

April 4, 2025

April 4, 2025

One Suspect Caught, Two Still Sought in Culver City Armed Robbery A suspect connected to a recent armed robbery involving...

(Video) Adorn Your Home With Plants and Pottery from Urban Jungle

April 4, 2025

April 4, 2025

Go To Urbanjungleplantsandpottery.com For More Info Go To https://t.co/WwF5r95s90 For More Info⁠ pic.twitter.com/Ejled24yhJ — Westside Today (@WestsideLAToday) April 4, 2025

Join UCLA’s Innovative Memory Research Study!

April 3, 2025

April 3, 2025

Are you ready to contribute to groundbreaking research and help shape the future of memory treatments? Do you sometimes find...

Coming Soon: Easter Extravaganza at Regent Santa Monica Beach

April 3, 2025

April 3, 2025

Book your Delectable Brunch, Easter Festivities This Easter, step into a world of celebration and refined delight at Regent Santa Monica Beach....

Scoop Dreams Come True: Van Leeuwen Launches New Beverly Hills Shop

April 3, 2025

April 3, 2025

Van Leeuwen’s Beverly Hills Opening Comes With Sweet Perks Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, a New York City-born brand celebrated for...

WeHo’s WeHappy Wednesdays Serve Up Big Discounts In Addition to Zero Parking Fees

April 3, 2025

April 3, 2025

Free Parking and $5 Cocktails? WeHo Makes Wednesdays Worth It The City of West Hollywood and the West Hollywood Chamber...

Saijo Hand Roll Rolls into Culver City with Premium Japanese Ingredients

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Binchotan-Fired Perfection: Saijo Rolls Out Premium Sushi in West LA A new destination for hand rolls and Japanese culinary craftsmanship...

(Video) Check Out Bernie’s, a New Pop Up at Citizen Public Market in Culver City

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Made with fresh frozen fruit and a toasted merengue topping these flavors are irresistible. The pop up will be at...

From Cocktails to Coffee: U.S. Tariffs Threaten Imports, Jobs, and Your Grocery Bill

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Major Price Hikes Expected for Coffee, Wine, Chocolate, and Butter  A sweeping new set of tariffs announced by former President...

Levain Bakery to Open Venice Location with Special Guests and Charitable Twist

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Bigger Than a Cookie: Levain’s Venice Opening Is a Flavorful Fundraiser Levain Bakery, the cult-favorite cookie destination founded in New...

LAX Airport Server Finds Hate-Filled Message From Unidentified Diners

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Waiter Says He Was Stunned by the Message Left by Customers Guillermo Ortiz, who works at Planet Hollywood inside the...

Sunset Strip Staple Le Petit Four Shuts Down After Landlord Pulls the Plug

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

End of an Era: Le Petit Four Forced to Close in West Hollywood In a stunning reversal to the upbeat...

Metro LA Pushes Back Sepulveda Transit Community Meetings

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Environmental Review Delay Prompts Metro to Reschedule  Metro announced that community meetings scheduled for early April to discuss the Sepulveda...