While the nation is following the developments in Texas of the first Ebola patient on American soil, states--including Michigan--are readying their efforts to deal with an outbreak....should one occur.  But in Michigan, the efforts began before the Texas case.

Plans in place in Michigan to deal with outbreak as a precaution
Plans in place in Michigan to deal with outbreak as a precaution
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The Detroit News is reporting today that Governor Snyder has had almost-daily contact with health and emergency management officials in the state making sure Michigan is prepared in the event of a problem.

So far, there have been no confirmed reports of Ebola in Michigan, although an alert was sent out last week of a potential case in west Michigan.  That incident in Kent County, turned out to be a false alarm.

Snyder told the newspaper he doesn't want to get caught off guard.

"People are all working together to ensure that we have our contingency plans in place," he said.

Snyder added it's a work in progress.

"We're learning based on what we're seeing down in Texas."

The Governor said Michigan's network of hospitals and health care facilities are ready to go in the event of a confirmed case of Ebola where a quarantine is necessary.

It seems state officials were proactive in their approach, readying for the "potential" of a problem even before news of the Texas case.

"We have been communicating information between the CDC, MDCH and our local partners for quite some time now, not just since Texas had its first confirmed case," Angela Minicuci, spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Community Health, said in an email to the paper.

As for the best defense against Ebola?   It seems good hygiene--as with most viruses--is the key.

"We can defeat this. These are not magical creatures," said John Snider, a registered nurse at Henry Ford Hospital.

Join Jo Anne Paul weekdays for news updates on 99.1 WFMK-FM, 100.7 WITL-FM and 1240 WJIM-AM and the other stations of the Michigan Talk Network
joanne.paul@townsquaremedia.com

 

 

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