Tripler Army Medical Center held its first large-scale Ebola response exercise Wednesday, simulating a patient showing up there and at the Schofield Barracks Health Clinic with symptoms of the disease.

More than 100 people participated in the exercise, which included transporting the patient from Schofield to Tripler in a specially outfitted American Medical Response ambulance, the military hospital said.

It was the first such exercise at Tripler involving other agencies and health care partners on Oahu for an Ebola-type response.

"This initial exercise went extremely well," said Ana Allen, a public affairs officer at Tripler. The exercise planning team "focused on evaluating emergency Ebola response procedures, identifying areas for improvement, and achieving a collaborative partnership with key players and supporting agencies. We were successful in achieving our objectives in each of these areas."

The 2014 Ebola epidemic, the largest in history, has claimed about 4,920 lives, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

No case has been identified in Hawaii.

The Naval Health Clinic Hawaii, 15th Medical Group, U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii, Department of Veterans Affairs, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Department of Health, Honolulu Fire Department, Federal Fire Department, and Hawaii Bio-Waste Systems Inc. also participated in Wednesday’s exercise, Allen said.

The Health Department is the lead agency for an Ebola response here, she said.

If a Defense Department beneficiary arrives at Tripler and Ebola is considered a possible diagnosis, the patient will be isolated in the intensive care unit immediately while further evaluation and testing are completed, Allen said.

That would be done in conjunction with notification to higher headquarters and the CDC to determine the next step, she said.

For training purposes, exercise participants wore standard "personal protective equipment" that is designed to protect against contamination from Ebola and provides head-to-toe coverage, Allen said.

Ambulance personnel wore Tyvek suits during patient transport and waste disposal.

Tripler has designated an ICU wing in the event a patient with actual or suspected Ebola arrives.

In addition to a secured patient treatment area, the unit includes a self-contained laboratory, as well as its own waste storage facility, Allen said.

Each piece of equipment in the ICU room is also logged and tracked, and will remain with Ebola patients for the duration of their hospitalization, she said.

Tripler has ordered additional personal protective equipment in order to reduce risk, Allen said.