WINNIPEG — The Health Sciences Centre has set aside 10 isolation rooms in the event a patient arrives with the Ebola virus.
Health officials on Monday gave media a tour to show off the preparations being done by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and the province to contain the virus, should it spread into Canada.
“These isolation rooms are negative pressure rooms with negative pressure anti-rooms,” said Dr. Perry Gray, chief medical officer with HSC Winnipeg. “Negative pressure rooms means that the air pressure within them sucks air actively into the room, so that bacteria, viruses, small particles cannot escape.”
Nurses and other hospital staff have received training on dealing with a potential Ebola patient, such as donning multiple layers of protective clothing. Besides specialized training, staff will also undergo an additional one-day refresher course once a month while the Ebola threat lasts.
“Every day without an Ebola patient is a gift,” Gray said. “And if we go six months without getting a patient here in Winnipeg, we’ll probably spend the entire six months still training, simulating, adjusting and improving. That’s what you need to do in a situation like this — you’re absolutely never done.”
ChrisD.ca video/WpgCameraMan
