Ebola virus outbreak

Turtwig

ProfessorPlum wrote: »

Really? Really? Talk to the populations of West Africa. Listen to MSF and the other NGO's on the ground, working to contain this crisis. (Even they now admit that it is uncontainable) See how the already stretched health systems in affected countries are falling apart to the extent that they now don't have the capacity to treat 'regular' illnesses that were previously treatable. More people will die in these countries from other diseases because of Ebola. And I'm not even going to start on the political fallout in these countries when systems fall apart. You're right though, Ebola is not currently a real threat to us here in a developed Western country with an (almost) functional health system.

What part of this disagrees with anything I said in previous posts?

Ebola is serious but I fear it's mythical like status will just makes things worse than they should be. How we react to the first UK or Ireland cases will determine a lot.

ProfessorPlum

Turtwig wrote: »

What part of this disagrees with anything I said in previous posts?

Ebola is serious but I fear it's mythical like status will just makes things worse than they should be. How we react to the first UK or Ireland cases will determine a lot.

Something about Ebola not being a threat. I even bolded it for you.

Turtwig

And right now -emphasis on the right now- it currently isn't.

Obviously it's a threat in Africa. Not sure how anyone could deny that.

ProfessorPlum

Well clearly Africa, India, south east asia and vast swathes of other developing countries with poor conditions and mediocre health systems don't count. Because the more established Ebola becomes in West Africa, the more likely it will establish elsewhere where there are minimal systems in place to contain it.

Wrt developed countries, atm it seems the greatest direct fallout we will have is sporadic imported cases or 1st degree transmissions such as in Texas and Spain. Providing that we all treat the threat with the seriousness it deserves. If we become complacent, mistakes will happen and 'mini outbreaks' will occur. Kind of like sending home a guy with symptoms and a recent travel history to Liberia home.

girl24

I don't usually post on this board but the Ebola virus has me very nervous. If it gets hold it has the potential to spread everywhere. That nurse was on holiday at the time she started feeling sick and so may have exposed numerous unknown people to it, let's say some of these are also holidaymakers that go back to their hometowns, they get sick, don't immediately think much of it, expose their family and friends, then the family and friends may also get the virus, before you know it you have an out of control situation.

the_monkey

girl24 wrote: »

I don't usually post on this board but the Ebola virus has me very nervous. If it gets hold it has the potential to spread everywhere. That nurse was on holiday at the time she started feeling sick and so may have exposed numerous unknown people to it, let's say some of these are also holidaymakers that go back to their hometowns, they get sick, don't immediately think much of it, expose their family and friends, then the family and friends may also get the virus, before you know it you have an out of control situation.

It's not that communicable though, she wouldn't be likely to infect so much people, having said that she was a phucking idiot to go on holiday - but it's Spain so


PERO BUENO !!!

Red Pepper

girl24 wrote: »

I don't usually post on this board but the Ebola virus has me very nervous. If it gets hold it has the potential to spread everywhere. That nurse was on holiday at the time she started feeling sick and so may have exposed numerous unknown people to it, let's say some of these are also holidaymakers that go back to their hometowns, they get sick, don't immediately think much of it, expose their family and friends, then the family and friends may also get the virus, before you know it you have an out of control situation.

Calm down, its actually quite difficult to contract ebola. It has to be via bodily fluids such as blood and saliva. The nurse would have picked it up when working on the ebola victim flown to Spain for treatment which is sloppy.

the_monkey

Red Pepper wrote: »

Calm down, its actually quite difficult to contract ebola. It has to be via bodily fluids such as blood and saliva. The nurse would have picked it up when working on the ebola victim flown to Spain for treatment which is sloppy.

Exactly, i



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Fallschirmjager

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/04/ebola-zaire-peter-piot-outbreak?CMP=twt_gu

This is the guy who identified Ebola originally, pretty disturbing post, worth a read

snubbleste

ceadaoin. wrote: »

She had treated the Spanish priest who was brought back and who died a couple of weeks ago. You have to wonder how the infection happened. They were fully aware that the patient had ebola so surely the strictest protocols would have been followed from the moment he arrived in the hospital.http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29514920

Spanish media now reporting that four others connected to the nurse have been hospitalised, ebola contraction not confirmed yet.

0byme75341jo28

Here comes the pandemonium...

littlemac1980

snubbleste wrote: »

Spanish media now reporting that four others connected to the nurse have been hospitalised, ebola contraction not confirmed yet.

I can't understand why the "team" (and they are referred to in the various reports as a team - so if there was an issue with her getting infected its likely that the rest of the team are at risk too) that treated the priest including the Nurse weren't subject to strict Quarantine following their interaction with the priest. The obvious precaution must surely have been to isolate them for the duration of the incubation period until they could be then given the all clear and released.

I'm simply astonished to learn, that the Nurse was not isolated and was actually permitted to go on Holidays. I mean - it's just insane!!

And I know someone here will be tempted to exclaim - You can't simply lock people away for 3 weeks. But these aren't simple citizens I'm talking about - they are professional health workers and should be expected (and are paid) to operate in compliance with necessary protocol and safe-guards to ensure Containment.

The recklessness of this situation is simply astounding. Comparisons to Flu and other diseases aside - this Virus (we all agree) has a mortality rate of between 50% - 80% No matter which range of the rate of mortality you tend to favor as correct - Exposing people to the risk of this virus is extremely negligent at the very least. It Kills at least one in every two people who contract it. Shameful behaviour by those responsible.

Anyone have any idea where she was on Holidays - I really hope she wasn't in Ireland! :eek:

Red Pepper

littlemac1980 wrote: »

Anyone have any idea where she was on Holidays - I really hope she wasn't in Ireland! :eek:

I read on another forum that she visited Dublin. Unconfirmed reports that she donated some blood, took part in a few orgies and likes to spit.

If you see people wandering Dublin City Centre looking like zombies, get your rifle/axe ready.

littlemac1980

Incidentally - here is a photo (from BBC report) of the arrival of the Spanish Ebola sufferer that the nurse was treating when she contracted the virus:

Attachment not found.

They look pretty well kitted out to me.

littlemac1980

And here's the report of RT with details of the four (in total - including yesterday's nurse) Spanish people now hospitalized in relation to Ebola - only the nurse has so far been confirmed as having actually contracted it.

http://rt.com/news/193820-ebola-spain-hospitalized-nurse/

It unclear whether the other Health Worker was involved in the same situation as the Nurse, or whether they possibly contracted it from her.

One of those in hospital is a traveller who had spent time in one of the West African Countries affected. Therefore if this person actually has the Virus - it's likely to be unrelated to the nurse, and is could be a separate isolated case.

FullblownRose

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/norway-fly-first-ebola-patient-back-sierra-leone-155929643.html#iGr4GJZ

A Norweigian health worker with Ebola is being/has been brought back to Norway.

Red Pepper

FullblownRose wrote: »

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/norway-fly-first-ebola-patient-back-sierra-leone-155929643.html#iGr4GJZ

A Norweigian health worker with Ebola is being/has been brought back to Norway.

Europe seems to be importing ebola.

Peist2007

littlemac1980 wrote: »

Incidentally - here is a photo (from BBC report) of the arrival of the Spanish Ebola sufferer that the nurse was treating when she contracted the virus:

Attachment not found.

They look pretty well kitted out to me.

Difficult to pass on eh?

nyarlothothep

WakeUp wrote: »

I agree. if the virus was capable of critical thought it would be probably having a chuckle right now thinking to itself how lucky that a supposedly intelligent lifeform like humans could be so phuckin stupid. moving people back to a country after becoming infected violates all laws of containment. they shouldnt be moved for any reason moral reasons dont come into it, quarantine should not be broken for anyone for any reason. the only way to fight this is to contain it. so stop violating the laws of containment. dock a medical ship off the coast of Africa if laws of containment must be violated and treat them on that. but stop moving the virus to countries that dont already have it.

The nurse must have got infected due to complacency/a mistake. However out of all the cases that have been brought back, this has been the only one where an infection has occurred. If anything it's beneficial to bring people back and treat them as we can study the virus in greater detail but the stringency of the procedures must be enforced with total fascism/pedantry basically, there can be no room for error whatsoever. (I am not advocating for fascism incidentally, just incredibly strict/OCD observance of containment/disinfectant procedures). The solution is through scientific research. I agree though that generally no one should be allowed in or out of these countries. I'm still baffled that the Obama administration is 'considering' stricter screening at airports for people coming from these infected zones, I mean wtf?! considering? Stricter screening? Seriously?! As I said it's almost like it's being given every opportunity to spread, which is strange in itself, can a storm really be that perfect? It's starting to resemble a 12 Monkeys scenario with the plane flight, I really want to be wrong on this.

Egginacup

We all know that while Cuba is sending doctors, the US is sending troops. It turns out now that these aren't just any old soldiers who could do the work they claim they are going to be doing, like driving trucks or carrying crates of medicine....the kind of tasks anybody with a bit of direction could do.

No, the US are sending 4000 101st Airborne PARATROOPERS. These guys will be given a 6-hour training course on how to wear special equipment before being sent over.

Wonder if they're going to land them in transporters or "drop" them in along with their supplies and artillery pieces.

http://www.wtop.com/267/3716634/101st-Airborne-soldiers-heading-to-Liberia

Highflyer13

Sometimes you have look at world leaders and think 'Are they all really this thick?'. I mean what is to be gained flying people back home around the globe to countries that haven't been touched by ebola yet? I know I sound selfish but by doing so they are putting many more lives at risk. Can a quarantine area in some remote part of the world be set up by the WHO to treat people properly with proper resources that are needed. A united global effort if you like.

Duggy747

Highflyer13 wrote: »

Sometimes you have look at world leaders and think 'Are they all really this thick?'. I mean what is to be gained flying people back home around the globe to countries that haven't been touched by ebola yet? I know I sound selfish but by doing so they are putting many more lives at risk. Can a quarantine area in some remote part of the world be set up by the WHO to treat people properly with proper resources that are needed. A united global effort if you like.

It allows them to study this strain and monitor people with better resources rather than the mostly poor conditions and limited setups they have in those areas, it helps them to understand what to do better without the staff being overwhelmed and a greater risk of them being infected.

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

The prophecy is real.

AudreyHepburn

I don't understand why they won't just close the borders to affected countries....surely stopping travel to and from these areas outright is the best way to contain it?

Red Pepper

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

I don't understand why they won't just close the borders to affected countries....surely stopping travel to and from these areas outright is the best way to contain it?

So we should close the borders to the USA for a virus that has been around since the 1970s?

AudreyHepburn

Red Pepper wrote: »

So we should close the borders to the USA for a virus that has been around since the 1970s?

Red Pepper

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

USA is an affected country.
Spain is an affected country.
Nigeria, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Congo, Liberia are affected countries.
We should close all their borders?

littlemac1980

Here's a useful map applet that allows you to scroll through the timeline of the reported cases Ebola Outbreak.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-31/ebola-timeline-deadliest-outbreak/5639060

You'll see that the shocking rate at which the number of infected is growing.

From:

17.04.2014 - 18.05.2014 - the number of cases grew from 249 to 305.

18.05.2014 - 16.06.2014 - 305 to 666

16.06.2014 - 12.07.2014 - 666 to 967

12.07.2014. - 11.08.2014 - 967 to 1977

11.08.2014 - 07.09.2014 - 1977 to 4392

07.09.2014 - 01.10.2014 - 4392 to 7492.

Mr.Micro

Scientifically, bringing infected people home is fraught with risk. Often the infected person is a dedicated aid worker who is helping the poor people in Liberia, Sierra Leone, etc, and every help should be afforded to such worthy people. I am not sure that it's wise, to be bringing people back, but perhaps trying to treat them in the field might be wiser and more effective. Spain has shown the system can fail... And the more cases that occur, then the whole system collapses. One of the reasons why the disease is spreading in Africa, is because the health system has collapsed, and there is nowhere to treat the sick. Such a scenario is a possibility in Europe. The West had done nothing up to now.....to combat a real threat.

LuckyLloyd

I certainly think it would be reasonable to start thinking about travel restrictions to and from the West African regions affected by the outbreak.

I also think a request to the countries affected for temporary disaster response control would be reasonable - i.e. the WHO gets administrative control over their health system temporarily and gets to dictate the procedures and processes in place and foreign troops are allowed to come in and assist with any curfew management, etc that is required.

I realise that such measures will impinge upon the economy and sovereignty of the nations concerned but there are two main points here:

- current efforts at containment and mitigation are failing;
- the worst case scenario, however remote it may be from occurring, is incredibly grim given the severity and mortality rate of the virus;

ScumLord has some good posts in this thread and I think we're a ways yet from cracking each other's skulls open to feast on the goo inside but more needs to be done. If for no better reason than people are dying horrible deaths in Africa at the moment and it could be prevented with better management and processes.