MessageS from President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., MD

Oct. 27, 2014:
Ebola Preparedness

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

Stony Brook University and Stony Brook University Hospital have been closely monitoring recent developments related to the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

In light of the recently confirmed Ebola case in New York City, be advised that while not a statistical impossibility, it is unlikely that a member of our campus community will contract EVD. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), people who are at risk are those who are in direct contact with:

• Bodily fluids (blood, saliva, urine, feces, sweat, semen, mucus, vomit, breast milk and other fluids) of someone who is sick with or who has died of Ebola
• Objects that have come into contact with the Ebola virus, such as needles and medical supplies
• Blood or other fluids or the meat of infected animals

Most people who have not had these types of direct contact are at low risk. However, if you have traveled out of the country to affected areas within the past 21 days, or have been in contact with someone who has, and you have any of these signs — fever, headache, vomiting, joint/muscle aches, weakness, diarrhea, stomach pain, unexplained bleeding, cough, rash or trouble breathing — you should call your healthcare provider or emergency response agency immediately. If you are on campus and develop symptoms, isolate yourself and call the University Police Department (from a campus phone: 333; or  (631) 632-3333 from a non-campus phone).

Please be assured that campus emergency responders have been working diligently with Stony Brook University Hospital and other external agencies to ensure a safe response and transfer of the patient to Stony Brook University Hospital, one of eight New York State hospitals identified by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to treat patients with Ebola. We are confident that we are prepared to care for a potential Ebola patient in the safest environment possible.

As a reminder to the campus community, the State University of New York (SUNY) issued an  Ebola Preparedness Update on Oct. 17 which outlines added precautionary measures campuses are required to implement. One of those measures includesa moratorium on campus-sponsored and approved travel to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone --- the countries where the CDC has issued a travel warning. This travel ban applies to all campus related or funded activities on the Stony Brook University campus including study abroad, research foundation funded activity and other travel.

We will share additional information about the University’s preparedness procedures and additional resources as well as any updates as we make based on new information and protocols on the University’s  Ebola Virus Information website. More information can be found at the  CDC website.

Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D.
President

 

September 16, 2014

The current Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa has made headlines for months, and with good reason. This outbreak is larger than any other in history.

Stony Brook University is closely monitoring updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding Ebola, and will continue to provide our community with pertinent information.

As a specialist in emerging infectious diseases, I believe there is almost no risk of an Ebola virus epidemic in New York or the United States thanks to our strong public health infrastructure.

However, we advise those traveling to or returning from countries affected by the Ebola outbreak to follow the guidelines listed on this website. Here you may also find general information about Ebola, signs and symptoms of the virus and what to do if you are sick.

I invite you to watch my recent lecture on Ebola to learn more about the origin of this disease, the outlook of this outbreak and the potential for new treatment methods and vaccines.

 If you have reason to believe you were exposed to infected persons, animals or objects, contact the Student Health Service immediately at (631) 632-6740, and monitor your health for symptoms of infection over the next 21 days.

Thank you for staying aware of the Ebola virus outbreak. We will continue to update the Stony Brook community as more information becomes available.

 

Samuel L. Stanley Jr., MD