Mercer County Dedicates Resources to Battle Ebola, Enterovirus

The Mercer County Division of Public Health, as one of 21 designated agencies for the New Jersey Local Information Network Communication System (LINCS), sharing information on a daily basis with state and local health officials regarding the fight against numerous diseases currently concerning the county and the nation.

Mercer County government is providing the resources necessary to fight the outbreak of infectious disease, including Ebola, Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) and any other public health threats that might occur, Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes said on Friday.

Mercer County does not have primary authority over public health matters. Instead, that lies with the State Department of Health under the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The county’s main roles involve communication, support and coordination,.

Residents are always welcome to contact their local health department about any health-related concerns they might have, Hughes said.

Health officials in Mercer County have been focusing on EV-D68, which is confirmed to have caused respiratory illness in more than 40 states. As of Oct. 15, New Jersey had a total of 17 confirmed cases in nine counties, including Mercer.

The death of 4-year-old Eli Waller in Mercer County was the first death in the nation that has been linked to the virus, but health officials say he went to bed with no symptoms, according to ABC News.

The Mercer County Division of Public Health has served as a resource to Hamilton health officials in that case and is available to other municipalities should they require information or support.

The Mercer County health officer hosted a meeting with representatives from local hospitals, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), municipal health offices, emergency management, emergency communications, and universities and colleges, as well as epidemiologists from the New Jersey Department of Health on Aug. 27.

They discussed Ebola and raising awareness and ensuring countywide communication among first responders and other stakeholders.

Following that meeting, EMS dispatch protocols were altered to screen for cases that fit the profile of someone infected with Ebola virus disease.

This will enable first responders to take necessary precautions and so that the receiving emergency department could be notified, Hughes said.

In addition, local police chiefs and emergency management coordinators were advised to meet directly with their health officers to discuss their response protocols.

Hughes plans to host another meeting next week to share the most recent information and discuss future plans.

The Mercer County Office of Emergency Management is ready to support any plans that municipalities and other county agencies put in place through the provision and coordination of additional resources, should that become necessary.

Schools operated by Mercer County have cleaning protocols in place to provide safe environments.

The Special Services School District is continuing its elevated level of cleaning that was implemented several years ago in preparation for the H1N1 virus, following recommended CDC and federal Environmental Protection guidelines with the goal of providing a cleaner environment for students and staff.

Custodial staff at the Mercer County Technical Schools uses an ionator, an electric spray bottle that converts tap water into ionized water, a powerful cleaning product that kills bacteria within six seconds.

Current information about Ebola and EV-D68 is available on the Centers of Disease Control website at http://www.cdc.gov/ and the New Jersey Department of Health website at http://www.state.nj.us/health/.