From staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — Rotarians with the Trussville Rotary Daybreak Club heard a presentation on Ebola from a local expert this week.
Frank Malensek, chief medical officer at St. Vincent’s East since July 2012, presented facts about the disease. The first Ebola virus, he said, was recognized in 1966.
This latest outbreak of the disease, he said, has been worse than previous ones and is facilitated by poor hygiene. Casual contact doesn’t promote the disease, he said. Typical exposure is usually between five and 10 days but up to 21 days.
It takes about 10 years and about $1 billion to develop a vaccine.
“We will beat the disease without a vaccine,” he said.
Malensek believes the alarm is unfounded. He feels the United States is safe based on precautions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All infectious disease personnel have met with the CDC and the process for treating has been reviewed. Emergency medical services know how to treat the disease, and area emergency rooms are prepared to treat it.