SIMON Corbell says that ACT Health will tomorrow run an exercise simulating a case of ebola arriving at a Canberra health service.
“The functional exercise has been designed to practice and validate the preparedness of the ACT health sector to identify and treat a suspected ebola case,” Simon said.
“In the eight-hour exercise, an actor will simulate ebola symptoms to practice the responses of ACT health services.
“ACT Health is committed to maintaining a high degree of preparedness by regularly practicing and validating emergency response arrangements.
“It is vital that agencies test these management plans in a realistic situation with real people.”
Members of the public will not be at any risk during the exercise and should not be alarmed by the exercise or if they see hospital and ACT Ambulance Service staff in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in and around Calvary and Canberra hospitals tomorrow.
“Signage advising of the exercise will be present at both hospitals on the day,” Simon said.
“I have been advised that special measures will be in place during the exercise to ensure patient and participant safety and that the exercise will not adversely impact clinical service delivery by any of the participating agencies.
“This exercise will not only strengthen our response to any potential ebola case but also to other possible infectious disease outbreaks and I commend ACT Health for organising the exercise and I look forward to hearing the outcomes.”
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