City Council Examines Best Practices To Safeguard Angelenos From Ebola

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The Los Angeles City Council met Tuesday to discuss a motion that would require city staff and county officials to report on public health issues in relation to Ebola.

The council is specifically looking for the best practices to inform and safeguard Angelenos from the deadly disease and ways to put them into place.

Last week, UCLA held a large scale drill to test their ability to diagnose and treat an Ebola patient.

The hospital transported and treated mock patients, disposed of waste and designated special equipment, including a mobile blood lab, just for Ebola patient use.

Every day, an Ebola patient would produce enough bodily fluids, contaminated clothing and other material to fill eight 55-gallon barrels. Those items must be sterilized or burned, however, environment concerns prevent California hospitals from burning the waste.

The LA County Health Department observed the drill and was expected to address it in Tuesday's council meeting.

LAX officials were also scheduled to speak on their ability to handle arriving passengers with Ebola-like symptoms. Earlier this month, the airport handled two Ebola scares when one potentially infected passenger was transported to Centinela Hospital and another was questioned on a plane and later released.

The City Council meeting was scheduled for 10 a.m.

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