Ebola Virus

While there have been no reported cases in any of the states we serve, Banner Health is taking important steps to be prepared to address the Ebola virus, should the need arise in any of our communities.

All Banner facilities have existing policies and procedures in place for quickly isolating a patient who may be infected with Ebola or other infectious diseases. For the last several months, Banner Health Infection Prevention specialists have conducted special training sessions with our hospital staff, emphasizing necessary steps to prevent the spread of the virus Our larger hospitals have isolation rooms that were designed to treat patients who have been exposed to serious infectious diseases. These rooms have unique equipment, airflow and other built-in infection control precautions.  Because we treat a variety of contagious diseases, these rooms and similar precautions are put into practice regularly.

The safety of our staff and all of our patients, and guidelines provided to us by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are at the center of Banner Health’s planning and preparedness activities.

What community members can do:

• Learn more about Ebola from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Understand that Ebola is spread by contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids. It is not triggered by casual contact. Practice good hand hygiene to protect yourself from any infectious disease:
  • Use warm water and plenty of soap. Work up a good lather.
  • Clean the whole hand, under your nails, between your fingers, and up the wrists.
  • Wash for at least 15 seconds. Don’t just wipe. Scrub well. Rinse, letting the water run down your fingers, not up your wrists.
  • Dry your hands well. Use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the door.