The Daily Bulletin Archive

From the Vice President for Student Affairs
Our campus is closely monitoring the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) information on the Ebola virus outbreak in several West African countries, as well as advisories from the New York State Department of Health. Currently, the CDC states that this outbreak does not pose a significant threat to the United States.

The CDC has issued warnings to avoid nonessential travel to Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone because of the worsening situation in those countries. An alert to practice enhanced precautions has been issued for travel to Nigeria. In light of this, we will generally not support travel to West Africa at this time.

For more information on the CDC’s monitoring and recommendations, please visit the CDC website.

Some brief facts on Ebola from the CDC web pages:

Ebola virus is the cause of a viral hemorrhagic fever disease. Symptoms include fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, lack of appetite, and abnormal bleeding. Symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 21 days after exposure to Ebola virus, though eight to 10 days is most common. Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected symptomatic person or through exposure to objects (such as needles) that have been contaminated with infected secretions. Ebola is not a respiratory disease like the flu, so it is not transmitted through the air. Ebola is not a foodborne illness. It is not a waterborne illness. Individuals who are not symptomatic are not contagious. In order for the virus to be transmitted, an individual would have to have direct contact with an individual who is experiencing symptoms.

The CDC recommends that people who have traveled to West Africa monitor their health after their return. People returning from an affected area who have not had direct contact with the body fluids of symptomatic infected people or animals, or with objects that have been contaminated with body fluids, should monitor their health for 10 days. Those with a potential exposure should monitor their health for 21 days post-exposure. Regardless, any traveler who becomes ill, even with only a fever, should consult a health-care provider immediately.

Buffalo State is aware of a very limited number of campus members (students, faculty, and staff) who may have had reason to travel to the affected countries. We have contacted these individuals and provided them with specific guidance regarding symptoms of the disease and procedures to follow if exposure is suspected.

Faculty and staff members who have concerns about possible exposure should contact their personal health-care providers immediately for guidance. Students should contact or be referred to the Weigel Health Center, (716) 878-6711.

Please call Charles Kenyon, dean of students, at (716) 878-4618 with questions.