Sandusky pair being monitored for Ebola

SANDUSKY — Local health departments are helping to contain the deadly Ebola outbreak in Uganda. The Erie County Health Department is monitoring two people who recently returned from Uganda, said the health department's epidemiologist, Taylor Kula. No symptoms have been reported so far, Kula said. On Wednesday, the Reuters news agency provided an update on the epidemic in Uganda, an African country with a population of about 47 million. Citing reports from the country's health minister, the news agency said 109 people have become infected and 30 have died. The dead include six health workers. While there is a vaccine for some varieties of Ebola, there's no vaccine for the Sudan strain of Ebola, the virus in Uganda. A trial of three Ebola vaccine candidates will begin soon. No Ebola cases have been reported in the U.S. The CDC is asking Americans to avoid unnecessary travel to areas of Uganda experiencing an outbreak. Kula, who delivered a report at Erie County's health board meeting Tuesday night at the health department and spoke after the meeting to the Register, explained that all U.S. travelers to Uganda are being funneled through five U.S. airports and tracked by the federal government. About a week ago, federal officials notified Ohio's state health department about two people from Sandusky who went to Uganda, and state authorities in turn contacted Erie County's health department, putting Kula on the case. Kula said she could not say much about the two but said they are being monitored for 21 days. They log their temperatures and other symptoms every day on a tracking website, and Kula talks to them on the phone once a week, she said. Kula said she is prepared to put on protective gear and see them in person, but that hasn't been necessary. Based on a variety of factors, including whether the two were in an affected area and whether they were around anyone who was infected, the two are considered low risk, Kula said. If any local travelers to Uganda developed symptoms, they would have to be treated in one of Ohio's seven hospitals which have the necessary equipment and trained staff to deal with Ebola. None are in northern Ohio, so Erie County residents likely would be treated in Columbus. "Travelers should isolate immediately and seek medical care if they develop signs and symptoms like fever, muscle pain, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising during or for up to 21 days after travel," the CDC says. During a 2014 Ebola outbreak, there were 11 cases in the U.S. and two people died. Kula also reported on COVID-19 and said the community level is medium and the transmission level is high. Erie County has had 1,647 hospitalizations since the start of the pandemic in 2020 and 364 deaths, Kula said. People continue to be hospitalized local for the virus, she said.