Pat Walker Health Center Identifying West African Travelers in Arkansas Community

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Pat Walker Health Center at the University of Arkansas is working closely with the Arkansas Department of Health to monitor the Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa.

On Aug. 8, the World Health Organization declared the Ebola virus disease an international public health emergency. However, there are no active or suspected cases of the Ebola virus disease in Arkansas.

The most critical step to prevent transmission of the disease is to identify those who have traveled to or departed from the countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia or Nigeria within the past 21 days. If you have traveled to one of the affected countries, please contact Lyn Edington, nurse manager for the Pat Walker Health Center, at 479-575-4088 or edington@uark.edu.

If you have visited one of these countries in the past 21 days and are experiencing symptoms of fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain or lack of appetite, you should report directly to Washington Regional Medical Center for further evaluation and treatment.

Students, faculty and staff traveling from these countries who do not have any symptoms are considered low-risk and pose no threat to the general public. However, they are requested to contact the health center. The health center will provide education, evaluation and monitoring for the Ebola virus disease to these individuals.

The Arkansas Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to work to control Ebola in Arkansas. For more information about the disease and what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are doing, visit their website at www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola.

Pat Walker Health Center

The Pat Walker Health Center supports the University of Arkansas community on the way to wellness. The health center, an AAAHC accredited medical institution, provides professional and comprehensive medical care, mental health care, wellness support and health promotion for University of Arkansas students, faculty and staff.

University of Arkansas

The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in a wide spectrum of disciplines. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and offers more than 200 academic programs. The university maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio of 19:1 that promotes personal attention and mentoring opportunities. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas 63 among the 623 American public research universities, and the university’s goal is be top 50 by the celebration of its 150th anniversary in 2021.