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LPNI Health Topic -March 2015

Ebola

HOLY TRINITY HEALTH MINISTRIES

Jacqueline T. Girard, RN, MSN, PN

Dear Friends in Christ,

Exodus 23:25 “

And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee” (KJV). Just as Moses trusted God when surrounded by plague and pestilence, we should also trust that He is watching over us as His people. Our trust is much better placed in God’s plan than in the yellow journalism provided by Facebook and other less-than-reliable news media that has been sensationalizing a disease that was first identified in 1976 in Africa. Ebola is not a new disease—neither is tuberculosis,malaria, or AIDS (these three diseases—not Ebola—are the major causes of death due to infectious disease worldwide). Ebola was identified and has been monitored by the World Health Organization (WHO) for 38 years. However, as Pastor has reminded us, being Christians does not make us oblivious to the realities of the world today. As your Parish Nurse, I would ask that you utilize appropriate resources for your questions and information.

The WHO

(www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/)

is an excellent resource, as is our own Center for Disease Control (CDC)

(www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/).

From the CDC, following is information on the transmission of the Ebola virus:

When an infection does occur in humans, the virus can be spread in several ways to others. Ebola is spread through direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes in, for example, the eyes, nose, or mouth) with

blood or body fluids (including but not limited to urine, saliva, sweat, feces, vomit, breast milk,and semen) of a person who is sick with Ebola

objects (like needles and syringes) that have been contaminated with the virus

infected fruit bats or primates (apes and monkeys)

Ebola is not spread through the air or by water, or in general, by food. And, from the WHO:Symptoms of Ebola virus disease: The incubation period, that is, the time interval from infection with the virus to onset of symptoms is 2 to 21 days. Humans are not infectious until they develop symptoms. First symptoms are the sudden onset of fever fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from the gums, blood in the stools). Laboratory findings include low white blood cell and platelet counts and elevated liver enzymes.

REMEMBER!!! Exposure must come from direct contact with body fluids from a symptomatic Ebola victim. If you have questions or concerns, please call me. I am more than happy to be your resource.

Let us, as Christians, pray for the well-

being of His people instead of

perpetuating the media sensationalism.

Let’s move on from Ebola to the holiday season ahead. THANKSGIVING!

What are you thankful for, my friends? James 1:17 “

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (ESV). Call me Pollyanna, but I am thankful for everything

—

my family, my church family, my friends, my calling. God is good, and I pray His goodness shines on all of you.

Blessings and good thoughts,

Jackie