MASON CITY – Community response partners in Cerro Gordo County have been working together to develop plans and procedures in the event an Ebola case is diagnosed within our county.
Representatives from the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health, Mercy Medical Center North Iowa, Mason City Police Department, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, Mason City Emergency Medical Services, Mason City Regional Airport, Cerro Gordo County Emergency Management Agency, and CERT have been participating in regular meetings ensuring all elements of our response are performed to the best of our abilities.
These partners are also participating in weekly Ebola preparedness and response conference calls and webinars with the Iowa Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Procedural updates are being implemented into current emergency response screening protocols.
“Our hope is that we never have to respond to an Ebola case in our county; however we know that by working together now, we are better prepared to quickly intervene successfully if it is necessary to do so,” said Steve O’Neil, Cerro Gordo County Emergency Management Agency Director.
The risk of an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the United States remains very low, as Ebola has not been shown to spread through casual contact. Residents should remember that Ebola is not transmitted through water, air, food, or casual contact. Ebola is only contagious if the infected person is having active symptoms such as fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Local hospitals and health care providers handle highly contagious illnesses every day. Plans are currently in place to respond to communicable disease related emergencies such as whooping cough and influenza, as well as less common diseases such as Ebola.
Cerro Gordo County response partners will continue to meet on a weekly basis, and will update citizens regularly.
Response partners invited to participate: Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health, Mercy Medical Center North Iowa, Mason City Police Department, Clear Lake Police Department, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department, Clear Lake Emergency Medical Services, Mason City Emergency Medical Services, Mason City Regional Airport, Cerro Gordo County Emergency Management Agency, Mason City Clinic, and CERT.
