Ebola virus outbreak

TheBeardedLady

*Slathers herself in hand sanitiser*

Gael23

My name is URL wrote: »

Most of them have been closed since August. Those that are still 'open' have strict measures in place and have screening and testing centers set up at them

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/28/health/ebola-outbreak-west-africa/

Are the airports closed also?

My name is URL

ryanf1 wrote: »

Are the airports closed also?

It only has one international airport and people are being closely monitored when passing through it

Good article here about an NPR journalist who travelled from there to the US a couple of days ago

http://mashable.com/2014/10/14/liberia-ebola-live-tweets-travel/

The airports that people fly into once they've left Liberia could be doing a lot more

Gael23

My name is URL wrote: »

It only has one international airport and people are being closely monitored when passing through it

Good article here about an NPR journalist who travelled from there to the US a couple of days ago

http://mashable.com/2014/10/14/liberia-ebola-live-tweets-travel/

Can it not be shut and movement in the country halted for a few days to contain this?

My name is URL

ryanf1 wrote: »

Can it not be shut and movement in the country halted for a few days to contain this?

There's no better way to make people panic and illegally cross borders / flee the country, than by telling them that they are not allowed to do so legally.

realweirdo

Creative Juices wrote: »

But you have to admit ProfressorPlum is right, you are absolutely winging it and making it up as you go along. When anyone questions your "statements", you completely change tack and get all defensive rather than discuss the statement itself.

We know Google is your friend but I think a more balanced and less emotive presentation of the facts would help.

I await a rant including some of the following phrases "humanity at stake, colonialism will haunt the west, head in the sand, will go airborne, vaccines wont work, close the borders, racist element "

This post is laughable to be frank. I point out the truth, the reality and the likely future based on current trends. If that upsets your sensitivites I'm not particularly bothered. As for making it up as I go along it might seem that way to the uninitiated like you but this is a fluid and evolving situation. I could easily say the same about you. You are just another of those people who don't get the seriousness of this outbreak and how it could quite easily reach the west. And there is no guarantee we will cope with it better than the Africans. So in other words its you who has been winging it, most objective readers of this thread would agree with that.

ceadaoin.

ceadaoin. wrote: »

This is one of two people who were in Liberia researching ebola. They were told they didn't need to sequester themselves. Here is the story from a couple of days ago. Hopefully it's 'just' malaria or something and not ebola. It says they didn't come into to contact with anyone infected so it seems unlikely. Generally so far, if you hear about it beforehand, it's not ebola.

http://foxct.com/2014/10/14/yale-researchers-who-planned-to-be-quarantined-are-back-in-new-haven-not-isolated/

It's looking like this person had contact with the NBC cameraman who developed ebola. The contact happened the day before the cameraman developed symptoms apparently so hopefully there is still just a very small risk. If that's true it's another example of the completely inept way this whole thing has been handled in the US. He volunteered to be quarantined but it was refused.

While University administrators have insisted that the patient did not have contact with the disease, Yale Medical School Dean Robert Alpern said that the patient “did have contact with one person who eventually developed ebola.”

A source familiar with the patient’s travel activities said the patient came in direct contact with NBC cameraman Ashoka Mukpo, who was diagnosed with Ebola on Oct. 1. The patient indicated that contact came the day before Mukpo developed symptoms, the source said. NBC declined to comment on the matter.

realweirdo

ceadaoin. wrote: »

It's forecasted to be 10,000 new cases a week within a matter of months. And still people think this isn't a serious situation.

A lot of people are gradually getting the seriousness of it and the need to restrict travel to and from affected areas among other measures. People who have argued for that as 1 part of fighting ebola spread have been attacked as racist which is completely unhelpful. If ebola started in Iceland I and others would be saying the same.

If its 10,000 a week in December it will be 20,000 a week in late january based on current trends. I saw somewhere, I think a report by the cdc, that eventually it could reach 10,000 cases a day. I will look for the article later. At what stage will western governments take this seriously enough to declare it an international emergency and invest all available resources to fight it?

josip

TheBeardedLady wrote: »

*Slathers herself in hand sanitiser*

Pics or GTFO

I am pie

if 4500 europeans or americans died in a terrorist attack we would see a bottomless pit of funds and resources to fight the cause.

BeerWolf

Not to be a scare monger or anything, but my sister's husband who's an IT security specialists says that Air France flight had 14 Irish passengers... but it's being kept quiet here... hmmz

Creative Juices

BeerWolf wrote: »

Not to be a scare monger or anything, but my sister's husband who's an IT security specialists says that Air France flight had 14 Irish passengers.

I am confused, what is the relevance of the IT security role?

josip

BeerWolf wrote: »

Not to be a scare monger or anything, but my sister's husband who's an IT security specialists says that Air France flight had 14 Irish passengers... but it's being kept quiet here... hmmz

Please do explain the relevance of your sister's husband's job to this piece of news?

gozunda

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Well this was patient no1 for the US and he vomited, as per your article, as they put him into the ambulance to take him to hospital That's not what I would describe as a mobile person.

You said

1: A person isn't infectious until they start showing symptoms and are quickly bedridden there after. Therefore whilst they are mobile they're not infectious and afterwards they won't be walking about much.

The guy was out in the community - walking about - living in an apartment - How much more bleedin mobile could he be???? And yes he was symptomatic and infectious!

"Canis wrote:

...I guess we'll have to wait and see how any further cases develop. It is worth noting however that Mr Duncans family despite living with him have at this stage showed no signs of infection and I would expect they would have been in close proximity to him including toilet and door handles and all that jazz. They do unfortunately still have some time to wait out before getting the all clear (which must of course be awful).

Both vomit and diarrhoea caused by the Ebola virus is known to be highly infectious - if the other family members havn't contracted Ebola - then they are extremely lucky.

It would be nice to believe that every case of Ebola outside Africa will immediately and magically be isolated - somehow I can't see it happening because sh/t happens when humans are involved ...

ProfessorPlum

BeerWolf wrote: »

Not to be a scare monger or anything, but my sister's husband who's an IT security specialists says that Air France flight had 14 Irish passengers... but it's being kept quiet here... hmmz

I imagine it's not being kept quiet so much as it's not really news. Although now that you've mentioned it some thrashy tabloid is bound to pick it up:(

Canis Lupus

gozunda wrote: »

The guy was out in the community - walking about - living in an apartment - How much more bleedin mobile could he be???? And yes he was symptomatic and infectious!

According to what I'm read on the news and wiki when he reported to the hospital the first time he was suffering fever, headache and abdominable pain. He wasn't suffering from nausea/vomiting nor diarrhea. This was on a Thursday and all I can see is by Sunday he required an ambulance to get to hospital. Aside from the trip to and from hospital have you any sources to show he was out and about? Most people when sick with a fever, headache and abdominal pain go lie down in bed. I know I do. Either way the powers that be have identified low and high risk contacts and are monitoring them.

Both vomit and diarrhoea caused by the Ebola virus is known to be highly infectious - if the other family members havn't contracted Ebola - then they are extremely lucky.

Extremely lucky or ebola is not as easy to catch as some people are trying to make out?

EDIT: BTW I do agree that we're all human. Mistakes have been and will continue to be made. Regardless, I just don't think there is any cause for major concern at this time for developed nations.

the_syco

AngryHippie wrote: »

Then you haven't used enough. I'm talking lots and lots of napalm:eek:

Thermobaric Explosive ftw!

humberklog

BeerWolf wrote: »

Not to be a scare monger or anything, but my sister's husband who's an IT security specialists says that Air France flight had 14 Irish passengers... but it's being kept quiet here... hmmz

Your not being a scaremonger at all, at all. But definately cryptic and waffly and weirdly boastful. I'd rather catch ebola and wave my gloopy innards goodbye rather than have my brain wired like that.

gozunda

Canis Lupus wrote: »

According to what I'm read on the news and wiki when he reported to the hospital the first time he was suffering fever, headache and abdominable pain. He wasn't suffering from nausea/vomiting nor diarrhea. This was on a Thursday and all I can see is by Sunday he required an ambulance to get to hospital. Aside from the trip to and from hospital have you any sources to show he was out and about?

Fcs - he was in the community - he was vomiting in the street - he was not in a medical facility. Unfortunately we don't have full info on his medical notes but yes he was mobile and symptomatic. Split hairs much? ..

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Most people when sick with a fever, headache and abdominal pain go lie down in bed. I know I do. Either way the powers that be have identified low and high risk contacts and are monitoring them.

Really? Do they? Your basing everyone else's responses on what you do? The problem is that individuals at risk may not come visable until it's too late.

Extremely lucky or ebola is not as easy to catch as some people are trying to make out?

So you don't believe the medical information out there at present? Tell that to the medical professionals at the face of the epidemic.

Canis Lupus wrote: »

EDIT: BTW I do agree that we're all human. Mistakes have been and will continue to be made. Regardless, I just don't think there is any cause for major concern at this time for developed nations.

'Developed nations' are no guarantee of anything especially a virus that has no regard for socio economic nicities ..

BorneTobyWilde

If you calculate the time it takes to destroy a city and move on,
we're looking at the worldwide destruction of every major city
in the next 36 hours

ThinkAboutIt

It seems common sense to me to ban travel for the average person from the worst hit areas and then pump tonnes of resources in to try and stop it. If that makes me "racist" then so be it. I can't understand why people can still fly to the west from the worst hit areas.

sashafierce

This post has been deleted.

Kermit.de.frog

I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit.

It's the only way to be sure.

The_Valeyard

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

If you calculate the time it takes to destroy a city and move on,
we're looking at the worldwide destruction of every major city
in the next 36 hours

We're being exterminated.

Creative Juices

ThinkAboutIt wrote: »

It seems common sense to me to ban travel for the average person from the worst hit areas and then pump tonnes of resources in to try and stop it. If that makes me "racist" then so be it. I can't understand why people can still fly to the west from the worst hit areas.

Guys guys guys , worst hit areas???

It's 4 countries in Africa. There are 54 countries in Africa. That's 7% of the countries.

Nigeria and Senegal beat it quickly. Congo have it in one small area of one province and they have proven their ability to beat it several times in the past.

By all means pump tonnes of resources into these 4 countries but closing their borders would absolutely send the wrong message and lead to cover-ups.

w3.internationalsos.com/ebola/index.cfm?content_id=421&language_id=ENG

PLEASE do some research before posting, we're all stocked up on crazy here!

realweirdo

Creative Juices wrote: »

Guys guys guys , worst hit areas???

It's 4 countries in Africa. There are 54 countries in Africa. That's 7% of the countries.

Nigeria and Senegal beat it quickly. Congo have it in one small area of one province and they have proven their ability to beat it several times in the past.

By all means pump tonnes of resources into these 4 countries but closing their borders would absolutely send the wrong message and lead to cover-ups.

w3.internationalsos.com/ebola/index.cfm?content_id=421&language_id=ENG

PLEASE do some research before posting, we're all stocked up on crazy here!

Cover ups? Wrong messages? No-one cares about wrong messages. No-one said close off air travel to the other 50 african nations, just the worst affected. We know already this can travel via air travel. The US outbreak shows it only takes a single person to get through to kickoff something potentially big elsewhere. Lets stop air travel out of worst affected countries and then later we can have a great big philosophical debate about the moral rights and wrongs of it. Because ebola doesn't give a sh*t about such debates at the moment.

Canis Lupus

gozunda wrote: »

Fcs - he was in the community - he was vomiting in the street - he was not in a medical facility. Unfortunately we don't have full info on his medical notes but yes he was mobile and symptomatic. Split hairs much? ..

Yes because those hairs are important. If I wanted to be extra pedantic I would say that I can't seem to find any source that confirms he vomited (other than the one quote) or whether it was cleaned up (which would indicate he did indeed vomit outside). So we have a man who went too and from the hospital and at this stage the only people to develop Ebola are two nurses who treated him during his final bedridden days. Assuming the situation stays the same then I'd have to say the consensus of our respective governments is correct that Ebola poses a low risk to us.

If you want I can pretend to think the government have their heads in the sand and that it will go airborne and that we're all in great danger etc etc but I just don't see the point. They're doing alright, we'll be alright.

ThinkAboutIt

Creative Juices wrote: »

Guys guys guys , worst hit areas???

It's 4 countries in Africa. There are 54 countries in Africa. That's 7% of the countries.

Nigeria and Senegal beat it quickly. Congo have it in one small area of one province and they have proven their ability to beat it several times in the past.

By all means pump tonnes of resources into these 4 countries but closing their borders would absolutely send the wrong message and lead to cover-ups.

w3.internationalsos.com/ebola/index.cfm?content_id=421&language_id=ENG

PLEASE do some research before posting, we're all stocked up on crazy here!

So we'll just let them travel and bring it to the USA (apparently 150 people travel to the US from the worst hit areas every day) and let everyone get Ebola.

Tin Foil Hat

Canis Lupus wrote: »

I just don't think there is any cause for major concern at this time for developed nations.

Are you waiting for your Auntie Mavis down the road to go tits up before you start to worry about this?
Ebola is hopelessly out of control in three countries with a combined population of about 20 million people. We could very well already be at a point where the human species will have to learn to live with Ebola constantly in its bloodstream. And, if that is the case, it will inevitably spread and spread and spread.

realweirdo

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Yes because those hairs are important. If I wanted to be extra pedantic I would say that I can't seem to find any source that confirms he vomited (other than the one quote) or whether it was cleaned up (which would indicate he did indeed vomit outside). So we have a man who went too and from the hospital and at this stage the only people to develop Ebola are two nurses who treated him during his final bedridden days. Assuming the situation stays the same then I'd have to say the consensus of our respective governments is correct that Ebola poses a low risk to us.

If you want I can pretend to think the government have their heads in the sand and that it will go airborne and that we're all in great danger etc etc but I just don't see the point. They're doing alright, we'll be alright.

In the short term ie within the next year we should be fine. But in the long term I don't see it that way. If the outbreak continues along the expected patterns a year from now there could be millions in Africa infected. This is not scare mongering, the mathamatical models stock up that way. Just how ebola can be contained in Africa at that point is questionable. Put it this way, with a few thousand cases in Africa there has already been a spread to the west. What do you think happens with a few million cases in Africa? The probability goes up massively of more cases outside Africa.