Walnut Creek hospital says they're ready for any Ebola patients

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KGO) -- In Walnut Creek, the John Muir Medical Center is ramping up preparations in the event any patients show up with Ebola symptoms.

John Muir has not even had a suspected case of Ebola, but they say they are ready. Their mantra is: first detect, then protect, then respond.

A sign on the door of the emergency room asking patients to cover their coughs isn't new, but the sign for Ebola is new; it asks patients if they've traveled in the past 30 days.

"If they've traveled to Liberia or West Africa, then that would really trigger an alert," Dr. Jorge Bernett said.

Bernett is the director of infection prevention for John Muir. He says protocols are already in place if a potential case of Ebola walks in the door.

"We notify certain other people immediately what's going on. A person that's dressed in protective gear will come with a wheelchair and immediately wheel them into a private room," Bernett said.

Once a potential Ebola patient is isolated, anyone who has contact must wear a full body suit.

The reality is unless they've recently traveled to West Africa, or been in close contact with someone who has, it's highly unlikely, they have Ebola.