Health official talks flu, ebola

Jimmy Masters is the health promotion program manager for the New Mexico Department of Health’s Public Health Division, southeast region.

He responded to a few questions last week:

Question: Is the flu caseload unusually heavy or light this year?

Masters: For Southeastern New Mexico, about 4.6 percent of people who showed up at the surveillance monitoring sites reporting having influenza like-illness for the week ending Nov. 29, the latest data available. Flu activity is highest in Southeastern New Mexico.

Q: How many cases of enterovirus have been reported in eastern New Mexico?

Masters: As far as we know, no cases of enterovirus D-68 have been reported in eastern New Mexico.

Q: How do you protect children from this disease?

Masters: The best protection is to cough and sneeze into tissue and then dispose of the tissue. If you don’t have tissue, sneeze or cough into your upper sleeve. Wash hands frequently and, if you are sick, stay home from work or school.

Q: What is the health department doing to prepare for ebola virus?

Masters: Influenza poses a much greater risk to New Mexicans than ebola virus disease. ... As for ebola, the department is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The department has been in close contact with hospitals around the state informing them of the processes and protocols to evaluate patients.

In addition, the department has developed and shared the Ebola Virus Disease Response Plan. It outlines roles and responsibilities in the evaluation of patients.

It’s important to remember that at the present time, travel history is key in Ebola.

Unless you’ve traveled to Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, or Mali in the past 21 days, there is no risk that you have ebola.

The department has epidemiologists on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. They are available to answer questions from health care providers who are evaluating patients.

— Compiled by staff writer Steve Hansen