Columbus State University News

CSU Monitoring Ebola Information

October 26, 2014

healthyColumbus State University is monitoring Ebola information from statewide and national sources. While there is no reason to think Georgia or Columbus is at any risk, CSU administrators and health officials on campus have been talking regularly, sharing information and making contingency plans.

Anyone in the Columbus State University community who has any concerns about the Ebola virus is encouraged to contact the Columbus Health Department or CSU’s Student Health Services . CSU health officials are in frequent contact with state and national officials and have established protocols for monitoring students and recommending to the Dean of Students if any action needs to be taken. If any situation arises at CSU that needs coordinated action, a Centers for Disease Control  response team will take over, and direct local officials to determine what -- if any – steps need to be taken on this campus.

Below are some valuable resources for the CSU Community:






  • A recent letter from Georgia Department of Public Health to Georgia Educators


GEORGIA EDUCATORS:

As you know, national and international health authorities are working to control a large, ongoing outbreak of Ebola virus disease in several countries in West Africa, with the current epicenter in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. With significant numbers of students from West Africa in Georgia’s universities and colleges, it is necessary to provide guidance and recommendations to the educational community and as the holiday season approaches, students and faculty will travel home and then back to campus.  Public Health relies on the vigilance of a vast array of informed contributors beyond our traditional medical providers to report diseases, and therefore are asking the following of you: 

Be aware of students and their families, faculty and staff members or visitors who have traveled to Ebola‐affected West African countries, including Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea within the previous 21 days.

Know the signs and symptoms of Ebola, which may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to Ebola and include:



      • Fever greater than 101.5°F

      • Severe headache

      • Muscle pain

      • Weakness

      • Diarrhea

      • Vomiting

      • Abdominal pain

      • Unexplained, unusual bleeding or bruising




If someone presents to your campus health clinic with a fever, immediately ask if they have traveled to or come into contact with someone who has traveled to an Ebola affected region.

If you encounter individuals who you believe meet the case definition described in and or , immediately separate the individual from contact with others and report it to the Department of Public Health at 1‐866‐PUB‐HLTH or the DPH Epidemiology section at 404‐657‐2588.

Hand washing is still the best, most effective method at your disposal to protect you from the spread of infectious disease.  

DPH strongly encourages each school to review its infection control policies and procedures with faculty and staff.  In addition, DPH recommends reinforcement of healthy germ stopping habits with students.  Please refer to the webpages below for current information related to the Ebola outbreak and for infection prevention tips and flyers related to hand hygiene, cough and sneeze etiquette, and other tips to limit the spread of infection.

http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/index.html  

http://dph.georgia.gov/infection‐prevention‐tips‐staying‐healthy

Should you have questions, please feel free to contact the Department of Public Health at 1‐866‐PUB‐HLTH or the Epidemiology section at 404‐657‐2588.