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 Requests for bodily fluid-resistant gowns, shoe covers and face
shields have jumped since the first case of the virus was diagnosed
in the United States in late September and as Ebola has ravaged
three West African countries..
The shortage has forced firefighters to improvise when responding to
a potential Ebola patient by using existing, standard gear, putting
them further at risk, officials said.
In the fight against the outbreak at its West African source,
doctors and nurses have not seen gear shortages, according to
officials with the World Health Organization (WHO), Doctors Without
Borders and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But
word of the exceptionally high demand has prompted concern that
future orders might not be filled, officials said.
While manufacturers such as DuPont and Lakeland Industries Inc have
increased production capacity, some are unable to keep up.
DuPont has more than tripled its production, first to address the
"unprecedented level of demand" in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea,
DuPont spokeswoman Sandra James said by email. The Wilmington,
Delaware-based company has also received orders from other
countries, particularly the United States, she said.
"Even with the significant capacity increases we have already made,
demand is now exceeding our supply," she said.
DuPont is prioritizing orders for people in direct contact with
patients in West Africa.
Most orders are from the WHO, Doctors Without Borders and the CDC,
for healthcare workers on the ground in West Africa, said James, who
would not give specific numbers.
The disease has killed more than 4,800 people, all but a handful in
West Africa, since it emerged in March.
Lakeland Industries is on track to double its production by January
to meet Ebola-related orders of about 1 million protective suits,
plus hoods, foot coverings and gloves, the New York area-based
company said. Company spokesman Jordan Darrow would not comment on
any backlog.
In the United States, only four people had been diagnosed with Ebola
beginning on Sept. 30 and one has died. But there have been dozens
of scares, and firefighters, paramedics and other first responders
must prepare for each case as if it were real.
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Ebola can only be caught via the bodily fluids of someone with its
symptoms. The virus - which can cause fever, vomiting, diarrhea and
bleeding - is not airborne.
The International Association of Fire Fighters lobbying group has
asked President Barack Obama to allocate more money for fire
departments to train and equip first responders and to urge
manufacturers to increase production of the gear.
Fire departments nationwide are ordering enough gear for all staff
who could be exposed to Ebola instead of keeping a few suits
available, said association official Patrick Morrison.
While they wait for orders to be filled, first responders are using
existing equipment, including standard suits and gloves. But they
worry that, unlike gear designed for Ebola, it may not protect them.
The gear on hand also cannot be disinfected and reused, raising
costs, Morrison said in a phone interview.
Orders for protective gear have also surged on eBay, likely
including purchases from fearful, ordinary consumers, according to
Aron Hsiao, a consultant at e-commerce market trend analyst Terapeak.
Before Ebola arrived on U.S. soil, gear sales on eBay totaled less
than $50,000 per month. The figure has since climbed to $250,000 a
month.
(Reporting By Yasmeen Abutaleb; Editing by Michele Gershberg and
Jonathan Oatis)
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