An Ebola outbreak in Kitsap County is unlikely, but if the disease appears here the Kitsap Public Health District says it’s prepared.

“While there’s very little risk here in Kitsap County we are taking it really seriously,” said Karen McKay Bevers, public information officer for the Health District.

“We have been proactively taking steps to prepare,” Bevers said.

Those steps include advising area health facilities, hospitals and emergency medical services personnel of the latest information about Ebola from the Centers for Disease Control and from the Department of Health.

Bevers said they’re also inventorying local supplies of personal protective equipment — or PPE — worn by health workers when dealing with hazards such as Ebola.

The CDC issued new recommendations regarding the use of PPE after two Texas nurses became infected with Ebola.

There have been three cases of Ebola in the U.S. but none in Washington state. But area hospitals are preparing for Ebola just to be on the safe side.

If a suspect case of Ebola is identified in Kitsap County, the individual would be placed in isolation immediately and the Health District would facilitate testing at the Department of Health Public Health Laboratory.

The PHL is one of 13 laboratories nationwide that has been selected to test for Ebola. If there is lab confirmation, the Centers for Disease Control would immediately dispatch a response team to work with and assist the Health District.

Ebola symptoms include a high fever, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, unexplained bleeding and muscle pain.

According to the Washington Department of Health, Ebola is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, or via objects contaminated with the virus such as needles, or via infected animals. It is not spread by casual contact. Someone with Ebola must have symptoms before they can spread the disease.

Scott Thompson, media relations manager for CHI Franciscan Health, an affiliate of Harrison Medical Center, said the company has been discussing Ebola for some time and has ramped up its training procedures.

“At all our hospitals we deal with infectious diseases on a daily basis,” Thompson said.

Thompson said Franciscan has adequate equipment including PPE.

Bevers said public health nurses always deal with communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases and influenza.

“The flu … is a far greater risk for anybody here, with the number of people that are hospitalized and also that die of the flu every year.”

According to the CDC, a range of 3,000 to 49,000 U.S. citizens die from influenza annually.

There are simple steps one can take to reduce the risk of getting the flu according to Bevers.

“We’re also working to get the word out about the importance of flu shot and staying home if you’re sick and washing your hands and covering your cough because that’s a risk to the community for sure.”

Flu symptoms are similar to Ebola symptoms.

“Of course, we’re going in to flu season, so people having a fever or feeling bad is not uncommon this time of year,” Bevers said.

The group has an Ebola information page online at www.kitsappublichealth.org/.