KJZZ is a service of Rio Salado College,
and Maricopa Community Colleges

Copyright © 2025 KJZZ/Rio Salado College/MCCCD
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Governor's Infectious Disease Preparedness Council Holds First Meeting

The Governor’s Council on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response had its first meeting Friday morning – Governor Brewer set up the panel earlier this week, to make sure the state was ready to deal with Ebola and other infectious diseases. State Health Director Will Humble chairs the council and said members agreed to set up two work groups.

"One is getting information to primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, etc. about how to actually do the proper risk assessment on a patient who comes in with a fever," Humble said. "The other work group is to dive into the hospital system and identify a hospital or hospitals that will end up becoming the designated ebola treatment hospital in Arizona."

Humble said even with those facilities, every ER in the state will have to be able to do the right kind of risk assessment on patients, isolate them if necessary and then get a sample to confirm they have Ebola. He said the state also needs an EMS protocol to get patients to the designated Ebola treatment hospital.

Mark Brodie is a co-host of The Show, KJZZ’s locally produced news magazine. Since starting at KJZZ in 2002, Brodie has been a host, reporter and producer, including several years covering the Arizona Legislature, based at the Capitol.