1. 1. What is Ebola? One of the most deadly viruses on earth. Named for the Ebola River in the DRC, where the first outbreak occurred in 1976. Infectious, marked by fever and severe internal bleeding: hemorrhagic fever. Long incubation period of 8-21 days. Early symptoms include fever, muscle weakness, sore throat and headaches. Transmitted through contact with blood or body fluids from an infected person.
2. 2. Where does it come from? Natural hosts are thought to be fruit bats living in tropical African forests. Humans get it from the blood, organs or bodily fluids of infected wild animals: bush meat (chimps, bats, antelope, porcupines) found ill or dead in the rainforest. Once in the population, transmitted through close contact with the individual, burial ceremonies, items saturated with blood.
3. 3. Ebola: Who is at Risk? Health Care Workers Family Members Ambulance Drivers Burial Team Members
4. 4. Sources of Export of Ebola Local Nationals International Travelers Returning Volunteers & Health Care Workers
5. 5. Top Ten U.S. Google Searches of 2014 1.Robin Williams 2.World Cup 3.Ebola 4.Malaysia Airlines 5.Flappy Bird 6.ALS Ice Bucket Challenge 7.ISIS 8.Ferguson 9.Frozen 10.Ukraine
6. 6. Department Name Goes Here US Senator John Cornyn Texas Congressman John Zerwas
7. 7. Rules of Crisis Communications Know your facts. Put the facts in writing. Create graphics. Put together an online media kit. Use the best experts you can find as your spokespeople and COACH them! Be selective about the media you talk to. Avoid press conferences with no information.
8. 8. Dr. Tom Ksiazeks Outbreak Experience 1977 H1N1 Reemergence in Asia 1989--1990 Reston Ebola virus, U.S. and Philippines 1993 Hantavirus Pulmonary syndrome, Southwest U.S. 1994 Machupo virus, Bolivia 1995 Ebola in Kikwit, Zaire 1996 - Ebola Reston, Alice Texas and Philippines 1999 Nipah virus, Malaysia 2000 - Rift Valley Fever, Saudi Arabia and Yemen 2000 - Ebola, Uganda 2003 SARS 2005 Marburg , Uige, Angola 2007 Ebola Zaire, Luebo, DRC 2007/8 Bundibugyo (fifth Ebola virus), Uganda 2008--Marburg in travelers from U.S and Netherlands, Queen Elizabeth Park, Uganda 2008 LuJo virus, Zambia and South Africa 2008 Ebola Reston virus in pigs, Philippines 2007--2010 Marburg virus studies (bats), Africa 2014 Ebola virus, Sierra Leone, West Africa August 11 September 25, 2014
9. 9. Dr. Tom Geisbert
10. 10. Dr. James Le Duc
11. 11. Dos and Donts of Media Relations 1. Never do an interview on the fly. 2. Get information prior to doing the interview: Who is the reporter? When is your deadline? What is the story about? Who else are you talking to? When will it run/air? 3. Always prepare your key messages & prepare your messenger 4. Never speculate 5. Never go off the record 6. If you dont know the answer, admit it, offer to find out the answer, and follow-up 7. Dont feel the need to fill silence 8. Use notes 9. Never ask to see a story before it runs/airs 10. Remember that anything you say can and might be used against you.