Taiwan will set up special response teams in hospitals at or above the regional level following the first reported case of Ebola in the US.
Ruling Kuomintang legislator Tsai Chin-lung said on Thursday the spread of Ebola to the US indicates the pervasive danger of the disease. He said the reason for its spread is the lack of special medical personnel and proper clinical training. Tsai called for Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to start making early preparations in case Ebola spreads to Taiwan.
Deputy head of the CDC, Chou Jih-haw said the spread of the disease to the US is a very serious warning to Taiwan. Chou said that the CDC will implement a stricter, more effective program of preventative measures when dealing with travelers arriving from the affected countries. So far the outbreak has affected Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria in West Africa.
Chou said that regional hospitals will designate 10 to 20 people for each response team. He said that the teams should be set up within 1 to 2 weeks.
"We will instruct hospitals at or above the regional level to set up Ebola response teams. If a hospital admits a patient with Ebola-like symptoms, the special team will take care of the patient during further treatment," Chou said. "In this way can they can provide the patient with the most suitable protection and do their utmost to prevent the spread of the disease."
When asked if Taiwan can handle a possible Ebola outbreak in the country, a CDC official said that Taiwan does not have to worry. The official said that Taiwan has experience in dealing with outbreaks, including the outbreak of SARS in 2003.