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Contacts:
Toinette Parilla, Director
Cleveland Department of Public Health
216-664-6790

Monique Witherspoon, Public Information Officer
Cleveland Department of Public Health
216-664-3691

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CLEVELAND, OH The City of Cleveland is taking strong measures to educate
the public about how Ebola is contracted and what preventive measures people can
take to help prevent the spread of infectious disease in the wake of the Centers for
Disease Controls (CDC) announcement that a Dallas, Texas patient was on a flight
that originated in Cleveland earlier this week. In an abundance of caution,
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is also taking steps, above and beyond
CDC guidance, to disinfect key areas of the airport.

Preparedness and knowledge are power in public health situations like we are
seeing with Ebola, said Toinette Parrilla, Director of Cleveland Department of
Public Health (CDPH). I encourage anyone with concerns that they may have been
exposed to Ebola as a result of this incident to contact the CDC at 1-800-CDC-
INFO.

To be proactive and help prevent the transmission of Ebola in Cleveland, CDPH has
an operational plan in place and will focus on educating the public and city
employees, as well as coordinating with the CDC, city departments and divisions
and health agencies to be prepared if we have any cases diagnosed in Cleveland.
Cleveland EMS has also added Ebola-specific questions to their screening of
incoming calls for medical assistance.

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has implemented its Infectious Disease
Protocol; all employees have been provided personal protection equipment; and key
areas of the airport are being disinfected. These efforts at the Airport exceed CDC
guidelines at this time.

To contract Ebola, people must have direct contact with the blood and bodily fluids
of an Ebola patient. Symptoms to look for include fevers higher than 101.5 degrees
Fahrenheit, severe headaches and severe abdominal pain. For more information,
visit the CDCs web page for Ebola at http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/.

Again, the CDC is asking all 132 passengers who were on Frontier flight 1143
departing Cleveland and flying into Dallas-Fort Worth to contact their hotline at
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636). Under the guidance of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), the Cleveland Department of Public Health wants
you to be aware of the following regarding Ebola:

Sign and Symptoms of Ebola. If you have any of these symptoms stay
in your home and contact your doctor.
1. Fever higher than 101.5 F
2. Severe Headache
3. Muscle Pain
4. Weakness
5. Diarrhea
6. Vomiting
7. Abdominal Pain
8. Unexplained Bleeding or Bruising

Practice Personal Hygiene
1. Wash your hands frequently.
2. Cover your coughs and sneezes.
3. If you are sick, stay home.


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