By Bill Parry
Concerned about misinformation surrounding the Ebola virus, Borough President Melinda Katz reached out to the city Department of Health, which responded by sending Dr. Jessica Kattan to brief her and the leaders of Queens’ 14 community boards so they could update their members.
“Whenever there’s a vacuum of information, it results in disinformation,” Katz said,. “That’s why I thought it was important to hear from the Department of Health. I want to be sure we’re protected here in New York City.”
Katz disclosed her recent communications with the White House and officials’ concerns about Queens because it is home to JFK International Airport, one of only five airports in the United States that allow flights from western Africa to land. The others are Washington’s Dulles, Chicago’s O’Hare, Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta and Newark airports.
Kattan, a city medical specialist with the DOH, briefed the leaders in the Borough Hall conference room and then answered a range of questions.
“This is the largest Ebola outbreak in history and the first outbreak in western Africa,” she said. “The outbreak is worsening, but local and international governments are taking steps to help.”
The doctor explained that Ebola is a viral disease that cannot be treated with antibiotics. It is zoonotic, meaning the virus may be carried by different animals such as primates or fruit bats.
The symptoms include fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and unexpected bleeding. The symptoms appear two to 21 days after exposure. “There is no proven cure and no vaccine,” Kattan said.
Ebola is spread if there is direct contact through broken skin or mucous membranes with the eyes and mouth with a sick person’s body, blood or bodily fluids, including but not limited to urine, saliva, feces, vomit or semen or contaminated objects like needles and syringes, she told the leaders.
“It is not spread by air and it’s not contagious before symptoms appear,” Kattan said.
She also said people who are here illegally and get sick will not be asked by hospital staff about immigration status. People without insurance coverage or money should know that they will be seen regardless of the ability to pay.
During the Q & A portion of the briefing, the borough president pointed out that the way the virus is spread was explained differently in literature the Department of Health distributed. The flier says you can get the virus by touching a person who is sick with Ebola.
“I think the problem here is it says touching,” Katz said. “Exchanging bodily fluids is a completely different dynamic. this says something completely different.”
Kattan nodded in agreement and said that she would report that to the Department of Health.
Community Board 7 Chairman Eugene Kelty admitted to being confused by the symptoms of Ebola.
“I had five of them when I had a salmonella infection,” he said.
“I had fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhea, so I could’ve been shoved into a tent with people telling me I’m not going anywhere for 21 days? We have to make sure that people aren’t being shoved into a tent with somebody that actually has it.”
There have been no Ebola virus cases in Queens and only one in New York City but North Shore-LIJ Health System announced it will pursue the development of a biological containment unit to further improve its preparedness and response to infectious disease outbreaks.
“In light of the public’s anxiety about Ebola, it’s clear we need to develop a more-permanent solution to meeting public health needs in the event of a major infectious disease outbreak in the future,” President and CEO Michael Dowling said.
The health system has yet to decide on the location of this multimillion dollar facility, which would likely take 18 months or longer to build.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538.
