October 28, 2014 5:11 PM

Despite media hype, counties express confidence in handling Ebola outbreak

As another infected Dallas nurse is released today, state appears to be on better footing for deadly disease

Hysteria in the media over recent Ebola cases was simply not reflected in a Texas House committee determined to gauge local response to the deadly virus. State response to potential Ebola virus patients crosses a number of committee charges, from county affairs to public health to emergency management. Last week, Chairman Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, called a meeting of County Affairs to assess the preparedness of counties, which are among the first responders in just about any public health crisis.

“Counties are on the front line of these things, from what I’ve experienced,” Coleman said. “So while I’m here, I want to know how we deal with Ebola, as well as the diseases and illnesses we have yet to encounter.”

Houston officials were fairly comfortable with preparedness for a potential Ebola outbreak. Dr. Umair Shah, director of the Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services program, said any outbreak would be handled from the county’s TranStar center, which is equipped to handle both congestion management and emergency operations in the instance of flood, hurricane or terrorist attack.

In an emergency, County Judge Ed Emmett is designated to pull the trigger on a task force response, mobilizing a network of 34 cities, 125 law enforcement organizations, 54 fire departments and 60 hospitals across Harris County, Shah said.

Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, who chairs the Public Health Committee, noted her concerns for the rural areas of the state, where isolation units might not be available for a patient exhibiting Ebola symptoms. She noted that four isolation beds planned for UTMB in Galveston were weeks away. Only two-dozen beds for infectious disease currently are available in the state.

By Kimberly Reeves