WA's Ebola risk low, chief health officer says

Western Australia's chief health officer, Clare Huppatz, expressed confidence that the risk of Ebola entering the state remains low. This assurance comes as authorities closely monitor travel from the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is experiencing a deadly outbreak of the disease.

Discussions are ongoing regarding protocols for suspected cases, particularly as several WA-based mining companies and contractors travel to and from the DRC. Dr. Huppatz, who has managed several public health matters since February, including Hantavirus and diphtheria cases, and the ongoing flu season, acknowledged a busy period for public health.

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It is true that there's a lot happening both in the world and there's been quite a bit happening in Western Australia recently. These are all usual things that we do experience in public health from time to time. It just so happens that the last two months have been pretty busy.

"It is true that there's a lot happening both in the world and there's been quite a bit happening in Western Australia recently," Dr. Huppatz told Stateline. "These are all usual things that we do experience in public health from time to time. It just so happens that the last two months have been pretty busy."

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Another pandemic is definitely something that we need to prepare for. I don't have a crystal ball, so I can't say exactly how or when, but infectious disease physicians would tell us that we may well have another pandemic at some point in the future.

Drawing on her extensive experience, including a central role in WA's COVID-19 response, Dr. Huppatz noted global factors like unrest, conflict, and declining vaccination rates increase the likelihood of infectious disease movement. However, she believes Australia is well-prepared at its borders and within its hospitals to combat such threats, remaining alert to the possibility of another pandemic.

Regarding the Ebola outbreak, Dr. Huppatz stated that while the number of WA miners traveling to the DRC is small, the state has established procedures. "Our clinicians… would triage that person, put them in isolation so that they don't infect anybody else, alert public health," she explained. "We would follow … appropriate measures." She added that any more stringent measures would be contingent on the scale and nature of the exposure.

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Our clinicians… would triage that person, put them in isolation so that they don't infect anybody else, alert public health. We would follow … appropriate measures.