How New Zealand is preparing, even though the likelihood of Ebola entering the country is lower than in most of the world: Middlemore Hospital has set up a bio-containment unit in response to the global Ebola scare, even though specialists say New Zealand is at little risk of infected patients arriving. The unit, staffed by infectious disease specialists, has two negative-pressure rooms that can accommodate up to four patients. It will be monitored by the infection protection and control team and nursing staff, with no other traffic in or out of the unit, Middlemore manager Dot McKeen said. Visiting specialists would use an intercom to speak to staff or patients. Mrs McKeen said staff were trained in the donning and doffing (putting on and taking off) of personal protection equipment. The unit has three colour-coded zones. Heavy-duty white gowns, gloves, masks, special footwear and rolls of black tape to cover gaps in protective clothing are held in a green zone. Heavy doors designed to stop contaminated air escaping protect a red zone where infected patients would be kept. The two areas are separated by an orange zone. nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11340985
Posted on: Sat, 11 Oct 2014 06:50:49 +0000
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