It is indeed a bit concerning, especially because there is no vaccine or cure for it. No, not because it's "incurable". But because there is no financial lobbying going on for the panic to spread like was the case with the bird flu.
I remmeber how people flocked to buy tamiflu. in the end no-one died except some old people who were probably going to die anyway. Therefore the reports of people dying in Africa are more likely to be true and thus you can be a bit more worried.
(10-02-2014, 07:55 AM)Mímir Wrote: Dun worry, if you are American chances are you'll die from obesity or another 'lifestyle disease' before ebola will ever hit you.
You're thinking of Mexico my friend. Mexico has the highest obesity rates. Plus, drugs are quite a lot cheaper there.
(10-02-2014, 08:58 AM)Strichev Wrote: I remmeber how people flocked to buy tamiflu. in the end no-one died except some old people who were probably going to die anyway. Therefore the reports of people dying in Africa are more likely to be true and thus you can be a bit more worried.
There have absolutely been "healthy", younger people in other countries who have died from SARS (mostly China) and H5N1 (mostly Indonesia and Egypt). Yeah, there are far fewer in the US and Europe thanks to a lot of factors and we shouldn't panic. However, one frightening prospect for Ebola is infection in really close quarters where people from several places (such as Africa) mingle and then return, like Mecca for pilgrims on the Hajj. Saudi Arabia has been on alert for this upcoming season.
Anyway, there are some good points - there's a big push for Ebola vaccine development. Clinical trials are usually a really arduous process, but they're aiming for human testing in a few months.
For those unfamiliar with how big Texas Health Presbyterian (Marburg's hospital) in Dallas goofed: despite exhibiting the symptoms of Ebola, the medical team weren't all aware he'd been to West Africa, so he was initially released and allowed to return home with some antibiotics (because they're so great at treating viruses /s). He came back 2 days later after his symptoms were more severe. His family (including 5 children, who attended 4 different schools) is now under quarantine. Additionally, any healthcare staff (including the ambulance crew that took him in) need to be monitored.
Well it seems crazy, but in 1989 there was a lab in virginia that imported dozens of monkeys from Africa, who they later found had the 1 out of 5 strands of Ebola that did not effect humans. However, the monkeys were being kept for testing, in separate rooms, that were all linked via an airduct system. After the first batch of monkeys were destroyed, they thought they were safe. However, the other rooms soon after showed symptoms, even after having been isolated. They concluded the only way it could have traveled was the air system, meaning it had mutated to an airborn state. The 5 scientists were exposed and had to be quarantined for some time. Eventually the Army was called in to destroy the remaining monkeys, and eventually the scientists were cleared. This actually lead to the inspiration of the movie 'Outbreak'.
Having said that, even though the known strands that effect humans are not airborn, its not impossible. The other thing is they say the gestation period is only about 3 days, when in many cases it was proven to have been up to 22 days.
This is a very dangerous situation, because in Africa, the disease is killing less people than the panic and chaos it is now causing (Liberia), and the US has a fragile economy. When this takes root in multiple cities (and it will, its a mathematical certainty and only a matter of time), people will stop wanting to go to work, will hide out and hord supplies. This is a worst case scenario, sounds unrealistic, but is happening now in other places where they had fragile state systems to begin with.
For your sake, I'd stay away. This will spread because the person who flied didn't have the sense to not come home after visiting infected areas, and has in all likely hood passed it on to family members already. They now have to quarantine everyone he came in contact with, on the plane, and for the 11 days he walked around US soil while infected with Ebola.
here's a clip from infowars that showed an old documentary they dug up that had already been done. despite what some say, every time this virus spreads, its chances of mutation into an airborne strain keep going up.
(10-02-2014, 02:47 PM)nOmnomnOm Wrote: Hospitals are designed though to contain such viruses.... At least that are supposed to on their architectural design.
heh! you just keep on clinging to that illusion
(10-02-2014, 02:52 PM)Zed26 Wrote: For those unfamiliar with how big Texas Health Presbyterian (Marburg's hospital) in Dallas goofed: despite exhibiting the symptoms of Ebola, the medical team weren't all aware he'd been to West Africa, so he was initially released and allowed to return home with some antibiotics (because they're so great at treating viruses /s). He came back 2 days later after his symptoms were more severe. His family (including 5 children, who attended 4 different schools) is now under quarantine. Additionally, any healthcare staff (including the ambulance crew that took him in) need to be monitored.
All the best, Marburg.[/color]
This (& Thanks!)
Ok, so this is the "story" up to now: Back in Liberia, the infected guy helped a symptomatic pregnant woman to a hospital, where she was turned away for lack of space, so he took her back home where she later died...4 days later, he immigrated here to the US. He was symptomatic himself for a couple days before he checked himself into the hospital (& like Zed said) those dumbasses released him with a bottle of antibios. He was taken back to the hospital a couple days later by ambulance after the vomiting started.
Word around the campfire is that the cops started to restrict access to his apartment complex last night & that the number of people now on a direct exposure watch totals around 80
Again, I'm not the paranoid type...I'm far more concerned I'll snuff it in a car crash because some idiot answers a text behind the wheel than I am of catching ebola...it's not the virus that scares me, it's the ignorance & ineptitude of the systems ability to contain it that has me thinking dark thoughts
Hey! If I do get it though, will some of y'all get a collection going & get me a couple of these as a going away present?
A lot of people are criticizing the hospital for turning the man away the first time, but you have to be aware that Ebola exhibits very common symptoms that are associated most often with influenza in the early stages. Diseases such as malaria and cholera also share a fair amount of symptoms with Ebola, at least in earlier stages.
Right, except he told the nurse he had been in Liberia and physically AT an Ebola clinic there - and she told no-one.
Not until the guy called the CDC himself did he get the attention that he was asking for all along.
So yeah, I do blame the nurse - and by extension the hospital for piss poor training.