New EHS protocol aims to catch suspected Ebola cases

HALIFAX – EHS introduced new protocols Thursday to screen for Ebola.

Now, if you call 911 or 811, emergency dispatchers may ask specific questions about your symptoms or recent travel activities.

“And if those questions come back positive, I’ve been traveling to Western Africa, a list of the countries, if you have these certain symptoms, then that call actually gets elevated immediately to a group of experts,” said Dr. Andrew Travers, the provincial medical director for EHS.

The group of experts could include a medical officer of health, an online physician, an infectious disease control specialist or an emergency physician.

Travers said the group will then come up with a care plan for the patient starting at the time of his or her call.