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Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Information for Healthcare Organizations

On September 20, 2022, the Uganda Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization confirmed a new outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the Mubende district of Uganda in West Africa.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory on October 6, 2022, urging U.S. healthcare providers to be alert and prepared to evaluate patients suspected of having EVD, particularly among people who have recently traveled to affected areas in Uganda. All healthcare facilities are part of the frontline defense against the spread of disease, as patients will seek care in emergency departments, urgent care centers and clinics. Health care facility preparedness to care for patients with a viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) is essential to prevent transmission to staff, other patients, and our communities.

Frontline Healthcare Facilities

Acute care facilities that are equipped for emergency care (such as hospital-based emergency departments and other emergency care settings including urgent care clinics and critical access hospitals) are all considered Frontline Healthcare Facilities.

Frontline Healthcare Facilities should be prepared to promptly identify and isolate patients who may have EVD and promptly inform the hospital/facility infection control program, IDPH, and CCDPH.

Resources for Healthcare Organizations

  1. National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center: NETEC.org
    • NETEC developed the HealthCare Facility Special Pathogen Checklist as a VHF planning tool for all healthcare facilities to assess their readiness to identify, isolate, inform, and provide initial treatment for patients suspected or confirmed to have a VHF. This checklist is intended to guide facilities through a review of their immediate care capabilities and provide resources to assist in the resolution of preparedness gaps it reveals.
    1. CDC Instructional Videos for Donning and Doffing PPE
    2. CDC EVD Emergency Department Guidance
    3. CDC EVD Hospital Preparedness
    4. CDC EVD for Clinicians
    5. CDC EVD Website
    6. Algorithms: Assessing Fever Risk in Returning Traveler

Updated November 14, 2022, 11:50 AM