FORT POLK — It’s unlikely that doctors at Fort Polk will see a case of Ebola, but a Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital official said the staff has plans in place just in case.

Patients making appointments at the hospital are now being asked if they’ve visited West Africa or a country afflicted with Ebola within the last 21 days — the incubation period for the virus — or have come into contact with others who have.

Hospital staff members are also asking patients if they’ve come into contact with any animals within the last three weeks.

Hospital spokeswoman Kathy Ports said the screening applies to all patients being seen at the hospital.

Maj. Matthew Garrison, head of the hospital’s preventive medicine department, said the hospital’s efforts to train and prepare don’t indicate any threat to the area.

“The steps were taken early on to ensure that we were trained; people were designated to ensure that the training and competency was there,” he said. “We did training drills to make sure that we’re ready.”

Posters listing Ebola symptoms have been placed in the hospital and clinics, and hospital staff have practiced the safety protocol, Ports said. “Proper training is essential, and what does the Army do better?” she said. “We train.”

Garrison said patients suspected of having Ebola would be screened by a physician. Those deemed a threat would be placed in a negative-pressure isolation room and would be moved to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention facility elsewhere. 

Fort Polk has 37 soldiers deployed in Africa, but none are in the Ebola virus hot zone, said post spokeswoman Kimberly Reischling.

Post officials will hold a town hall meeting on the Army’s response to the Ebola virus at 6 p.m. Nov. 13 in the Bayou Theatre.(MGNonline)