FREEHOLD, NJ – The Monmouth County Health Department (MCHD) urges residents to access accurate sources for information regarding the current status of Ebola Virus Disease in the United States and in their community.

“Factual and important information about Ebola is readily available,” said Christopher Merkel, Monmouth County Public Health Coordinator. “Residents should actively connect to accurate, well-known and legitimate information sources and dismiss misinformation from non-credible sources.”

Ebola Fact: Only individuals who return to the United States from the countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are being considered for possible connection or exposure to the Ebola virus.

Ebola Fact: Ebola is not spread through the air; it is spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of a person who is sick with Ebola.

Ebola Fact: There is no confirmed case of Ebola in New Jersey.

The Monmouth County Health Department has posted a County specific fact sheet and links to other documents and websites on the Health Department webpage on the County's website at www.visitmonmouth.com.

Links to agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) have timely and accurate information about Ebola. Those agencies provide up-to-date information about confirmed positive cases as well as accurate transmission and infection control methods. Links to those websites are available on the County’s Health Department’s webpage.

Merkel added that the Monmouth County public health community wants residents to be assured that the local health departments, hospitals and emergency responders are prepared to respond if a case of Ebola occurs in Monmouth County.

MCHD is working closely with medical providers and emergency preparedness partners to ensure the County is prepared to handle a potential case of Ebola Virus Disease.

Local medical providers and emergency preparedness partners are reviewing their procedures, ensuring their staff is trained, and providing additional education to employees. For example, clinics and health care settings are providing additional training to all staff and local law enforcement have sent additional education to employees about precautions for preventing transmission of bloodborne diseases, including Ebola.

“Residents can help by being aware and knowledgeable of Ebola and by getting their information about the disease’s transmission, risk of exposure and symptoms from the CDC and the Monmouth County Health Department,” Merkel added.

According to the CDC, the 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest in history, affecting multiple countries in West Africa. Two imported cases, including one death, and two locally acquired cases in healthcare workers have been reported in the United States.

CDC and partners are taking precautions to prevent the further spread of Ebola within the United States. CDC is working with other U.S. government agencies, the World Health Organization, and other domestic and international partners and has activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to help coordinate technical assistance and control activities with partners. CDC has deployed teams of public health experts to West Africa and will continue to send experts to the affected countries.

Ebola, previously known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a rare and deadly disease caused by infection with one of the Ebola virus strains. Ebola can cause disease in humans and nonhuman primates (monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees).