Local expert: More infectious disease discussion is needed

<span>MARION -- A Southern Illinois University Carbondale public health law expert addressed hundreds of health care and emergency response representatives Wednesday in Marion regarding Ebola.</span>

<span>The talk at the fourth annual Weathering The Storm Regional Disaster Conference came on the heels of a second confirmed case of a U.S. nurse having contracted the disease in Dallas. The conference was held at the Marion Pavilion.</span>

<span>Jennifer Brobst, assistant professor and director of the Center for Health Law and Policy at SIU's School of Law, said she had two main points in her presentation.</span>

<span>One is that the disease is geographically based in West Africa and until recently had not been in the United States or Europe.</span>

<span>She also said the conversation between public health officials and the public should be more about responses to infectious diseases in general.</span>

<span>The West Nile virus, for instance, has had a far larger impact on American lives including in Illinois, killing 11 people and infecting 117 in the state last year, according to Illinois Department of Public Health figures.</span>

<span>"We always have contagions that spread a little bit here and there but have not had the same response, so I don't want the public to overreact," Brobst said after her presentation.</span>

<span>As the conference was taking place, the IDPH announced separately from the event its plans to start a hotline this week for people with questions about Ebola. The hotline number has yet to be released.</span>

<span>"After this morning's announcement of a second health care worker at a Texas hospital who provided care for the first U.S. Ebola victim preliminarily tested positive for Ebola, I would like to reassure Illinoisans that IDPH continues to work closely with hospitals and local health departments to provide guidance to quickly identify any potential cases of Ebola and contain any possible spread," IDPH Director LaMar Hasbrouck said.</span>

<span>Mike Maddox, regional hospital coordinator for Southern Illinois Healthcare, said hospitals across the country and the region are revisiting their plans and procedures in the event a response is needed.</span>

<span>That includes training on infectious control measures such as isolating patients and personal protective equipment.</span>

<span>"It stresses the importance of looking at the way we do things and ensuring we do everything we can to prevent something like that happening," he said of the second Ebola case.</span>

<span>Ronda Koch, director of emergency preparedness at Franklin-Williamson Bi-County Health, agreed with Brobst's message.</span>

<span>"I think her message was right on," Koch said. "There are a lot of discussions about Ebola and making sure we are monitoring but there are a lot of other infectious diseases," she said, including the seasonal flu.</span>

<span>Maddox and a group of other emergency personnel, including law enforcement, fire departments and more, organized the conference.</span>

<span>Workshops at the conference covered a wide variety of topics and disasters, including responses to shootings, providing assistance to families and psychological effects of disasters.</span>

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