Saturday morning, a social media post falsely claimed that Gadsden Regional Medical Center was on lockdown due to an Ebola “outbreak.”
As rumors swirled, the Messenger contacted the director of the newly formed Etowah County Emergency Management Agency, Jim Slick. Despite being out of state for training, he had been in contact with his team in Gadsden and was monitoring the situation.
Although he could not issue a public statement, Slick said there were no confirmed or suspected cases of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever at GRMC.
Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF) is an umbrella term for epidemic-prone diseases, including Ebola, that affect multiple organ systems, according to the World Health Organization.
VHFs are spread through contact with an infected person’s body fluids and cannot be transmitted through casual contact or exposure in public spaces. They do not spread through the air, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
By Saturday afternoon, social media was flooded with speculation about the situation and concerns that the hospital’s emergency room was on lockdown; however, it was not.
The hospital temporarily diverted ambulances out of an abundance of caution, according to a statement provided to the media.
“The unconfirmed information that’s passed around on Facebook causes more chaos than anything,” Slick said.
The statement said a patient arrived at the hospital with symptoms that could be associated with Ebola but could also be caused by many other health conditions. Although it was considered unlikely that the patient had been exposed to Ebola, the hospital took precautions to isolate the patient and ensure the safety of staff and patients during the evaluation.
Slick said community members continued to call him for answers, but he, like everyone else, had to wait for an official statement from the hospital before responding to questions.
“Before people start posting on social media, make sure it is confirmed,” Slick said. “There are guidelines and procedures that have to be followed before a statement can be released.”
The hospital worked closely with the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the patient, according to a hospital press release.
The CDC’s guidelines for screening and diagnosing VHFs include identifying potential exposures, isolating individuals and notifying local and state health authorities.
Saturday evening, the hospital responded to community concerns with a press release explaining the circumstances surrounding the situation.
“We can confirm this evening that there are currently no confirmed or suspected cases of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever within our hospital, community or surrounding region,” the press release said.
