Ebola may seem like an unlikely threat to Ocean County but it's not one health and emergency management officials are taking lightly. A multi-agency surveillance effort is being waged in the county to protect residents from the threat of the deadly virus.

During a recent presentation to the Board of Chosen Freeholders, County Public Health Coordinator Dan Regneye, with the Ocean County Health Department (OCHD), said they're in constant communication with health care providers.

"We have received phone calls over the last couple of weeks from clinicians, from physicians, from the hospitals, saying I have a patient they're West African, they visited the West African area and so we kind of brainstorm this information. This is a day to day activity," said Regneye.

He said they're also monitoring twelve years of disease activity data within Ocean County's communities.

"So, if we saw an increase or a spike ... we can easily say something unusual is happening here, we need to look at that a little more closely," he explained.

Regneye said they're working with law enforcement to finalize the Health Officer's mandatory isolation and quarantine declaration policy and procedures this week should it become necessary.

Ocean County does have experience with isolating a biological threat. Regneye said a resident diagnosed with tuberculosis had to be quarantined some years ago.

"TB, tuberculosis standard operating procedure that we have is probably one of the closest that we'd put in place for ebola and we're looking at modifying that and adjusting that for the situation," he explained.

Regneye said they also have a contract with the Berkeley Township Hazmat Response Team should a biological threat present itself.

He said the public can help by staying informed.

"Get information from reputable organizations. We have information on our web site, state web site, the CDC. There could be a lot of rumor mill going around and really try to clarify and confirm what you're actually hearing is true," Regneye said.

According to a press release, proactive ebola surveillance is being conducted by the Ocean County Public Health Emergency Preparedness Committee made up of OCHD staffers, hospital representatives, Sheriff's Department, OEM, emergency medical providers, law enforcement, County Human Services, County Medical Examiner, New Jersey State Police, Homeland Security and several others.

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