Author: Janna Elliott

BURLINGTON –Alamance County Health Department is one of a number of local health departments in the state that has begun monitoring individuals who recently arrived in the United States from West Africa. Alamance County is complying with federal guidelines to monitor all travelers from Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea. The guidelines state that individuals who return from an impacted area will be screened at the airport and if no other risks than travel are identified, the individuals will then be monitored daily for fever or other symptoms by the local health department for three weeks. This type of monitoring is one component of the Ebola preparedness plan for Alamance County.

“We are currently monitoring five individuals. These travelers have no symptoms, have not had contact with an Ebola patient, and are not healthcare workers. We are monitoring them because of their recent travel from West Africa,” states Health Director Stacie Saunders. “In the event that one of these individuals develops symptoms, the Health Department and our community partners will ensure that they are taken quickly and safely to an isolation unit in a predetermined healthcare facility. Our community has been preparing diligently and we continue to do so.”

The Health Department and its local health and safety partners have met specifically to assess the travelers’ information and review plans. Emergency Management, EMS, Central Communications (911), Alamance Regional Medical Center, and law enforcement throughout the county have worked collaboratively since August to develop protocols and guidelines for Ebola preparedness. These protocols have included screening for West African travel and Ebola symptoms for EMS dispatch and at visits to the Health Department, Alamance Regional Medical Center and other community healthcare facilities.

The county continues to participate in statewide Ebola update calls with the Division of Public Health and continues to receive preparedness guidance from both state and federal health officials. Alamance County preparedness partners meet regularly to discuss preparedness and response efforts in Alamance County.

For general information about Ebola, the public may call 1-800-222-1222 and choose option 6. Additional information can be found at http://www.ncdhhs.gov/ebola/.

Burlington, N.C. – North Carolina’s second case of chikungunya was confirmed Tuesday, June 24 in an Alamance County resident who recently traveled to the Caribbean. At the time the individual returned to NC, they were symptomatic but no longer had the virus in their blood and could not spread virus to mosquitos in the community. The NC Division of Public Health and Alamance County Health Department have determined that there is no known risk of transmission of the virus to the local mosquito population. At this time, all cases of chikungunya in NC have been travel-associated and no cases have been locally-transmitted.

Chikungunya is a virus that is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. The virus is not spread from human to human. The Asian Tiger mosquito that is commonly found in North Carolina could effectively transmit this virus. Symptoms of chikungunya usually begin three to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms typically include the sudden onset of fever and severe, often disabling, joint pains in the hands and feet. Many patients feel better within a week; however, the joint pain may persist for months in some people. Newborns exposed during delivery, adults over 65 and people with chronic medical conditions have a greater risk for a severe form of the disease.

“After reviewing this case, we do not feel any one in Alamance County is at risk because the time period in which mosquitos could have been infected was over,” states Interim Health Director Stacie Saunders. “Right now, we want those traveling to the Caribbean or other affected areas to be aware of the virus and to protect themselves against mosquito bites.”

NC DHHS’ Division of Public Health advises persons traveling to countries where chikungunya transmission is occurring to take personal precautions to prevent mosquito bites and immediately consult a medical provider if they develop a fever in the two weeks after their return home.

To protect yourself and your family against mosquito bites:

• Wear light-colored long pants and long-sleeve shirts.
• Reduce time spent outdoors, particularly during early morning and early evening hours when mosquitoes are most active.
• Apply EPA-approved mosquito repellents such as DEET, picardin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 to exposed skin areas.
• Always follow guidelines when using mosquito repellent. 
• Since mosquitos may bite through thin clothing, spraying clothes with repellent containing permethrin or another EPA-registered repellent will give extra protection.

DHHS’ Division of Public Health strongly recommends that all North Carolina residents take measures to decrease environmental conditions favorable to breeding for the species that could transmit this infection, the Asian Tiger mosquito. This mosquito is an aggressive daytime biter, breeds in small water containers and does not travel long distances. To reduce mosquito breeding areas around your home, Alamance County Environmental Health Director Carl Carroll suggests removing any containers that can hold water, change water in bird baths and pet bowls frequently, cover rain barrels with lids, check that gutters are clean and in good shape, and check screened windows and doors for tears.

To learn more about chikungunya virus, please see attached Frequently Asked Questions on Chikungunya from NC DHHS or visit: http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/. To view map and list of countries where chikungunya has been reported, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/pdfs/ChikungunyaMap.pdf

FAQ_Chikungunya_NCDHHS