WASHINGTON — Since July, hospitals across the country have reported more than 100 cases involving Ebola-like symptoms to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officials there said.
Only one patient so far — Thomas Duncan in Dallas — has been diagnosed with Ebola. But the number of incidents has spurred concerns about whether U.S. hospitals are as prepared to deal with the virus as federal officials insist they are.
In addition to lapses at the Dallas hospital where Duncan is being treated, officials say they are fielding inquiries from hospitals and health workers that make it clear that serious questions remain about how to properly and safely care for potential Ebola patients.
A CDC official said the agency realized that many hospitals remain confused about how they are supposed to react when a suspected patient shows up.
The agency sent additional guidance to health care facilities this week, as it has numerous times in recent months, on everything from training personnel to spotting the symptoms of Ebola to using protective gear.
Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, which has treated Ebola patients who were flown from West Africa, has provided information and advice to dozens of hospitals, many of which are struggling with a lack of awareness about safety protocols and fear among workers who feel ill-prepared.
Washington-area health officials also said they are trying to identify gaps in their preparedness plans.
Two Washington-area hospitals announced Friday that they had each admitted a patient with symptoms and travel histories associated with Ebola. Neither case has been confirmed.
At the White House on Friday, federal officials sought to reassure the public that the nation’s health care system was well-equipped to treat the virus and stop it from spreading.
“It’s very important to remind the American people that the United States has the most capable infrastructure and the best doctors in the world, bar none,” said Lisa Monaco, assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism. “The United States is prepared to deal with this crisis.”
A patient who had recently traveled to Nigeria arrived at Howard University Hospital in Washington overnight Thursday “presenting symptoms that could be associated with Ebola,” spokeswoman Kerry-Ann Hamilton said in a statement. The patient was put into isolation.
Hours later, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville, Md., confirmed that it is evaluating a patient who “presented with flu-like symptoms and a travel history that matches criteria for possible Ebola.”
It said the patient was received “within the past 24 hours” and that hospital staff implemented CDC’s guidelines for appropriate testing and care.
Craig deAtley, administrator of the DC Emergency Healthcare Coalition, said the Dallas case is prompting health care institutions across the country to look at their individual abilities to respond.
Facilities might not realize, for example, how much practical planning goes into training and staffing personnel, configuring isolation rooms, and determining what to do with dirty bedsheets and other waste, he and other officials said.
DeAtley said that officials are learning from the experiences of Emory University Hospital and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, which together treated several Americans with Ebola.
In the process, and by also reviewing the missteps of Texas Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, officials are discovering logistical problems in key areas, he and others said.
Although the CDC has issued guidelines for keeping infected patients in isolation in special rooms, hospitals need to determine how big that room should be, he said.
CDC officials acknowledged that widespread hospital awareness didn’t kick in until the case in Dallas.
“We let our guard down a little bit,” said Abbigail Tumpey, a CDC spokeswoman, referring to the country’s health care systems. “We as a health care system have to make sure not to let our guard down and be vigilant that patients with Ebola could show up at any U.S. health care facility. … Now that we’ve seen this happen, we know now that we need to do more to make people feel prepared.”
