Ebola outbreak - general thread #1

[Le Singe]

There are only four units in the country capable of isolating Ebola patients (as we were told when Dr. Branly was flown over here).
I don't believe Dallas is one of them.

it should be able to be effectively treated in any major hospital. It's not as good but it still should be fine as long as they are careful and follow all protocols .... of coarse if you sent a sick person just back from liberia home i guess we can't take anything for granted.

 

[1&2&3]

There are only four units in the country capable of isolating Ebola patients (as we were told when Dr. Branly was flown over here).
I don't believe Dallas is one of them.

Exactly! Dallas Presbyterian is NOT a specialized unit for Ebola or highly contagious diseases! Isolation units that I have seen, are not made for diseases like Ebola - that is why the few specialized units were built. The CDC or government needs to use the same protocol for this person as they did the doctor and missionary.

Just think how many people this person came into contact with the two times he went to the hospital or doctor's office and was turned away. Yikes!,

 

[jjenny]

it should be able to be effectively treated in any major hospital. It's not as good but it still should be fine as long as they are careful and follow all protocols .... of coarse if you sent a sick person just back from liberia home i guess we can't take anything for granted.

There are no effective treatments for Ebola as we were told. Only experimental ones. And it's spreading that I am worried about.

 

[atthelake]

I forgot how to work my TV.

. ..

Sent from my SCH-S720C using Tapatalk 2

 

[SeekingJana]

There's no reason why people flying into the US from Africa can't be screened for elevated temperatures. In some countries when Avian flu was a risk, there were heat sensors which each passenger passed through to ensure they were not actively infected with Avian flu.
Ebola would be detected as fever is the first sign of the illness.
Other people with fevers would also be scrutinized, but the case here in TX could have likely been detected if we had body temperature screening for people coming from areas of active infection.

Yes, all US hospitals with up to date infection control measures should be able to safely care for a few Ebola- infected persons. I say " a few" because with something as deadly as Ebola, the nurses taking care of the Ebola- positive patient should not have any other assigned patients to prevent accidental cross- contamination, which does not occur in a " perfect world" but does occur in practice because humans aren't perfect.
Negative- pressure isolation is said to not be needed for Ebola treatment as it is not a respiratory- borne illness. Direct contact with secretions ( blood or other bodily fluids) is required for transmission according to the CDC conference here in TX today.

 

[jjenny]

There's no reason why people flying into the US from Africa can't be screened for elevated temperatures. In some countries when Avian flu was a risk, there were heat sensors which each passenger passed through to ensure they were not actively infected with Avian flu.
Ebola would be detected as fever is the first sign of the illness.
Other people with fevers would also be scrutinized, but the case here in TX could have likely been detected if we had body temperature screening for people coming from areas of active infection.

Yes, all US hospitals with up to date infection control measures should be able to safely care for a few Ebola- infected persons. I say " a few" because with something as deadly as Ebola, the nurses taking care of the Ebola- positive patient should not have any other assigned patients to prevent accidental cross- contamination, which does not occur in a " perfect world" but does occur in practice because humans aren't perfect.
Negative- pressure isolation is said to not be needed for Ebola treatment as it is not a respiratory- borne illness. Direct contact with secretions ( blood or other bodily fluids) is required for transmission according to the CDC conference here in TX today.

Incubation period is up to 21 days. Supposedly this guy wasn't showing symptoms when he was flying. So he wouldn't even have had a temperature yet.

 

[Le Singe]

There are no effective treatments for Ebola as we were told. Only experimental ones. And it's spreading that I am worried about.

there is no effective cure it has been shown to be effective to "treat" the symptoms. By treat i was also including not letting it spread further. think there should be some questions ask about how the got sent home but other than that i think there is no reason to panic and it won't be constructive to do so.

 

[jjenny]

there is no effective cure it has been shown to be effective to "treat" the symptoms. By treat i was also including not letting it spread further. think there should be some questions ask about how the got sent home but other than that i think there is no reason to panic and it won't be constructive to do so.

He was infectious for days without being isolated. If that is not a reason to panic, I don't know what is.

 

[nrdsb4]

^^^It is not a reason to panic. Well, if you had direct contact with his body fluids, you are probably well within your rights to panic.

 

[nrdsb4]

There's no reason why people flying into the US from Africa can't be screened for elevated temperatures. In some countries when Avian flu was a risk, there were heat sensors which each passenger passed through to ensure they were not actively infected with Avian flu.
Ebola would be detected as fever is the first sign of the illness.
Other people with fevers would also be scrutinized, but the case here in TX could have likely been detected if we had body temperature screening for people coming from areas of active infection.

This guy was afebrile when he boarded that plane. He would have been cleared to fly if the only barrier was an active fever.

 

[mck16]

Thank you, corrected my posts...

patient travel: 9/19-9/20

showed illness symptoms 9/24

went for care 9/26

admitted to hospital 9/28

This is the schedule of events. Don't think some of you have the proper timeline. jmo

 

[Dogface]

Me and the little one are going to be bunkering down, no extra interaction with anyone until we are sure this isn't spreading. I told hubby when this outbreak started gaining in momentum that the us would be smart to practice a little bit of isolationism. Having a background in infectious disease, I knew this would be coming to the US. Hubby wanted to go to NY for a quick getaway and I said nope, I'm not getting on any planes right now!

Mean while....I'm off to buy stock in hand sanitizer...

 

[mck16]

He was infectious for days without being isolatecvd. If that is not a reason to panic, I don't know what is.

This is simply not true. Do you have a link stating 'infectious for days'?

 

[jjenny]

This is simply not true. Do you have a link stating 'infectious for days'?

How is it simply not true? By the timeline we are given, this person was starting showing symptoms on September 24th. Patients become infectious once they start showing symptoms.
He was only put in isolation on September 28th.
Means he was infectious for at least 4 days before being put in isolation.
So, what exactly is simply not true?

 

[nrdsb4]

This is simply not true. Do you have a link stating 'infectious for days'?

According to the official statements, he became symptomatic on September 24. That means HE WAS INFECTIOUS as of that time. He initially sought treatment on Sept. 26 and was sent home. He wasn't hospitalized until September 28. Therefore, he was infectious for days before being put into isolation in a hospital.

ETA: cross posted with jjenny.

 

[jjenny]

According to the official statements, he became symptomatic on September 24. That means HE WAS INFECTIOUS as of that time. He initially sought treatment on Sept. 26 and was sent home. He wasn't hospitalized until September 28. Therefore, he was infectious for days before being put into isolation in a hospital.

ETA: cross posted with jjenny.

And how could they send him home to begin with? Did they ask about his travel history? The mind boggles. That's two more days during which he could have infected people. Which they won't even know for 21 days.

 

[matou]

Do the medical experts know how long it takes for symptoms to start to show once infected?

 

[nrdsb4]

And how could they send him home to begin with? Did they ask about his travel history? The mind boggles.

As already said, we don't know if they didn't ask or if he didn't answer honestly.

If they didn't ask, that's on them. And it should be a wake up call for all triage personnel in ERs, because it probably is frequently NOT ASKED. So many illnesses present with the exact symptoms every single day in ERs across the country. It's never been ebola before-so it is not even remotely likely to be that rather than any of the countless numbers of illnesses which show up daily. However, it was inevitable to happen, so it should have been more in the forefront.

If he lied-well, you can't blame the staff.

 

[Dogface]

I concur that it's at panic level, not that we should panic(I know you didn't mean that either) but we have to act fiercely and quickly!

I worked in a lab with infectious disease and I will tell you it's not to be taken lightly, and I am far from a germa-phobe. In fact my background convinces me the more germs the better, but I am not joking when I say I will purposefully be avoiding going out for the time being unless absolutely necessary. This could get very ugly IMO. But if we work hard right now and contain it, it could be stopped right away. However, i do believe it will continue popping up in random areas until it's contained in Africa.

 

[nrdsb4]

Do the medical experts know how long it takes for symptoms to start to show once infected?

I believe the incubation period can vary from 2-21 days.