Although only one patient is currently being treated of Ebola in the United States, health authorities are not taking chances and are taking the necessary precautions in case there would be a surge in Ebola cases in the country.
On Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that it has ordered nearly $3 million worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) for use of health care workers in hospitals that treat Ebola patients.
The $2.7 million worth of PPEs are being organized into 50 kits that can be quickly delivered to hospitals. Each of these kits contains sufficient gears that would allow medical workers to care for one Ebola-struck individual for up to five days.
The supplies comply with CDC-issued recommendations on caring for individuals infected by the potentially deadly and infectious hemorrhagic fever which aims to prevent body fluids such as vomit and blood from infected individuals from getting in contact with the skin and mucous membranes of their caregivers.
The CDC has imposed stricter guidelines for those who care for Ebola patients last month requiring them to use gloves, a hood, coverings for the shoes, face mask and impermeable gowns, which are included in the CDC kits.
"Although the number of kits is limited, they will help address short-term PPE needs," the CDC said in a statement. "Purchases include impermeable gowns, coveralls, and aprons; boot covers; gloves; face shields and hoods; N95 respirators; powered-air purifying respirator systems and ancillaries; and disinfecting wipes."
Nancy Foster, from the American Hospital Association, said that there is already a shortage of some of the protective gears but in instances when certain products are not available, the CDC has provided guidelines on the alternatives.
"The CDC is working to compile PPEs to supplement what hospitals can get on their own as they try to build their inventory," Foster said. "In the event that a hospital has a patient with Ebola, we are developing a system to supplement the hospital's supply of PPEs."
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that the number of individuals struck by Ebola in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone has now reached over 13,000, 4,950 of whom have died of the disease. The U.N agency also revealed that more than 500 healthcare workers have already been infected by Ebola.
The only remaining Ebola patient in the U.S. is Craig Spencer, who is currently being treated at the Bellevue Hospital in New York.
