How has the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) been preparing to address the possibility of a bio-terrorist attack in Connecticut?
The Connecticut DPH regularly asks all healthcare providers in Connecticut to be alert for any unusual disease clusters, and to immediately report such occurrences to the both the local and state health departments. Additionally, we are working with acute care hospitals on a system to quickly detect an increase in unusual illnesses that might suggest the release of a biological agent. The quicker a bio-terrorist attack would be detected, the sooner a response would be implemented. The response would emphasize ensuring that appropriate medical care and prevention services are provided while enabling law enforcement officials to do their work. This would be done by coordinating efforts with local, state, and federal agencies; alerting and providing guidance to hospitals and the medical care community; and communicating with the public. Rapid communication systems have been developed over the past 3 years that enable coordination between all these groups.
