Ebola: What companies need to know to protect staff and business interests

Guest speaker
Dr Angela Huang (Song-en), Medical Officer, Centers for Disease Control, MoHW
黃頌恩醫師，衛福部疾病管制署

12:00–14:00, Monday, 10 November 2014
The Howard Plaza, Dragon Hall (3F)/ 台北福華大飯店 金龍廳 三樓
160, Ren Ai Road, Sec. 3, Taipei, Taiwan /台北市仁愛路3段160號

This year's outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in several countries in West Africa is the worst the world has ever witnessed and the first case has been reported in the United States. As of mid-September over 5,500 people have been affected and the death toll has surpassed 3,000. Figures are doubling every month and are probably underreporting the actual number of cases because of undeveloped healthcare institutions and poor communication networks in the countries where the outbreak has been the most severe. Moreover, it can take as long as 21 days for patients to become symptomatic, which makes estimating actual figures even more difficult. By some alarming estimates there could be over a million cases by the end of 2014. Following a statement by United States President Obama describing Ebola as a threat to global security, global leaders are now taking the situation seriously and sending help. The United Nations (UN) General Assembly and the Security Council have approved resolutions creating the United Nations mission for Ebola emergency response to contain the ongoing outbreak, the first time in history that the UN has created a mission for a public health emergency. The mission will bring together the vast resources of the UN agencies, funds and programmes, to reinforce the World Health Organisation's technical expertise and experience in disease outbreaks. The United States is sending 3,000 soldiers to West Africa to help build healthcare facilities and many countries have sent experts to the worst affected countries to offer assistance and learn about Ebola. While there is no cure for the virus, many pharmaceutical companies are working furiously on remedies and screening kits. Given that the fatality rate of Ebola is as high as 90%, many businesses have already stopped operating in affected countries and people are asking what they should do to protect themselves and what authorities should be doing. At this special event, our guest will give a brief overview of the Ebola virus, outline what Taiwan's health authorities are doing and offer some advice regarding travel and protection.

Among other topics, the following will be discussed:

• What is the current status of the outbreak?
• What are Taiwan's health authorities doing to prepare for a possible outbreak in Taiwan?
• What preventative measures should be taken by the general public and businesses?
• What precautions should travelers take when visiting West Africa? What about nearby regions such as the Middle East?
• What is the status of vaccine development and other treatments for the virus?

About the speaker

Dr Angela Huang (Song-en) is a Medical Officer for Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC). In this position her duties include outbreak investigations. She also concurrently works as consultant physician part time. Prior to her current position she was the CDC's Director of the Field Epidemiology Training Programme. During the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003, she worked as a resident physician providing care to SARS patients. She holds a medical degree from Saint George's University in the West Indies and a Master's in Public Health (MPH) from Johns Hopkins University.

NT$1,300 for members; NT$1,900 for Members' guests

_{To cancel without penalty, written cancellations must be received 24 hours prior to the event.}

Contact: Cathy Huang / Tel 2740-0236 ext. 219 / cathy.huang@ecct.com.tw / www.ecct.com.tw