American doctor in Liberia tests positive for Ebola virus

[Herding Cats]

Huge issues with drug administration on an uneducated, illiterate country(ies)...and no matter which way things are sliced, there will be folks who say they were victimized somehow.

Sigh. Just a huge can of worms, along with a virus so deadly that 60%+ of it's victims die.

Best-
Herding Cats

 

[Lyra500]

I had hoped that the spread was slowing, but 127 more cases reported in just a couple of days. The main problem appears to be Liberia where distrust is making effective identification of cases and contact tracing nigh on impossible.

Ebola is believed to have infected 1,975 people in four West African countries since the outbreak began this year, and 1,069 of them have died, the WHO said. The numbers reflect the WHO's count as of Monday.

That's an increase of 127 cases and 56 deaths in two days, the WHO said.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/13/health/ebola-outbreak/index.html

Incredibly sad and totally devastating for the victims and their families and communities.

WHO believes Kenya is at high risk due to being a major travel hub in East Africa with many daily flights from West Africa.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28769678

Ghana has delayed start of the new university term to enable them to put measures in place - they have many students from the affected countries. It must be pretty scary to live anywhere in that region of Africa at the moment.

I think if I lived in Ghana and my child was due back at university I would be very reluctant about letting them go at the moment, however foolish and over protective that seemed.

 

[Yoda]

Ebola claims another Doctor.
"Dr. Modupeh Cole, 56, died Wednesday at the Ebola treatment center operated by Doctors Without Borders in the northeastern town of Kailahun, officials at the health ministry said."

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/14/world/africa/ebola-claims-another-sierra-leone-doctor.html?_r=0

 

[gngr~snap]

Too many doctors getting Ebola! imo

All posts are MOO

 

[HMSHood]

Even if break down by nations, there are Ebola cases and deaths than in the 1976, 1995, and 2000 Ebola epidemics.

WHO-Ebola Virus Disease Update - West Africa (8/13/2014)
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2014_08_13_ebola/en/

Guinea 377/510 (73.9%)
Liberia 355/670 (53%)
Sierra Leone 334/783 (42.7%)
Nigeria 3/12 (25%)
Total 1069/1975 (54.1%)

CDC-Outbreaks Chronology: Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever
http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/resources/outbreak-table.html

Previous Large Ebola Epidemics (Over 300 cases)
Yambuku (1976) 325/358 (90.7%) Figure comes from Coming Plague. CDC and WHO has 280/318 (88%).
Kikiwit (1995) 250/316 (81%)
Gulu (2000) 224/425 (53%)

If we include Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone as single Ebola epidemics, they would be the worst. Two them were Ebola Zaire, while the 2000 epidemic was Ebola Sudan.

 

[redheadedgal]

"Dr. Kent Brantly is doing very well and hopes to be released sometime in the near future. The staff at Emory Healthcare are taking extremely great care of him. Kent and his wife continue to express appreciation for everyone’s prayers."

https://www.facebook.com/SamaritansPurse

such great news!!!

 

[popsicle]

C. Michael Gibson MD ‏@CMichaelGibson 2m
Liberia fears Ebola could spread after residents raid quarantine center, take blood-stained sheets and mattresses. http://on.mash.to/1rgwbvz

WTH

 

[popsicle]

C. Michael Gibson MD ‏@CMichaelGibson 4m
Crowd loots Ebola center in Liberian capital, worker says patients removed http://reut.rs/1p2yhwq

 

[jjenny]

C. Michael Gibson MD ‏@CMichaelGibson 2m
Liberia fears Ebola could spread after residents raid quarantine center, take blood-stained sheets and mattresses. http://on.mash.to/1rgwbvz

WTH

Could? I have very little doubt that it will, considering they took blood-stained sheets and mattresses. And actual patients.

 

[Lyra500]

Could? I have very little doubt that it will, considering they took blood-stained sheets and mattresses. And actual patients.

I have to say I really sympathise with the senior police officer:

A senior police officer said blood-stained mattresses, beddings and medical equipment were taken from the centre.

"This is one of the stupidest things I have ever seen in my life", he said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28827091

What a nightmare. That particular area is a slum with a population of around 50,000 people who are now at risk from infected people and bedding due to the ignorance and idiocy of some.

 

[HMSHood]

A senior police officer said blood-stained mattresses, beddings and medical equipment were taken from the centre.

"This is one of the stupidest things I have ever seen in my life", he said.

Major understatement. Not just stupidest, it is very dangerous as the blood stained beddings and medical equipment is Ebola ridden. That is how it spreads. I wonder where they are going. This could make the epidemic worse.

 

[nightwatch]

C. Michael Gibson MD ‏@CMichaelGibson 2m
Liberia fears Ebola could spread after residents raid quarantine center, take blood-stained sheets and mattresses. http://on.mash.to/1rgwbvz

WTH

I have read this article three times... What do you do with disease ridden bedding? Maybe use it to scare other people with it? Idk just sounds so bizarre. Jmo

ciao

 

[Yoda]

New Mexico hospital testing patient for ebola.
http://nmhealth.org/news/disease/2014/8/?view=122

 

[Yoda]

Two american volunteers are now immune to ebola?
"The patients will no longer have to worry about infecting others or getting infected again.
"They're immune," said Rob Dretler, M.D., of Infectious Diseases Specialists in Atlanta."



Does this mean if you survive it the first time you can't get it again?

http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/2014/08/16/american-ebola-patients-now-immune-from-disease/14170567/

 

[Yoda]

Spain on alert after man admitted to hospital with symptoms.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/spain-ebola-alert-man-admitted-hospital-fever-171245354.html

Edit- I'm glad people who have traveled to areas with cases of ebola are taking symptoms seriously. Jmo

 

[Lyra500]

Spain on alert after man admitted to hospital with symptoms.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/spain-ebola-alert-man-admitted-hospital-fever-171245354.html

To be fair, it does go on to say that he tested negative for Ebola. He had some of the very general 'starter' symptoms of fever and vomiting and came from Nigeria.

I think this is a scenario which is going to be repeated across Europe many times over in the coming weeks and months as I believe Nigeria provides a significant proportion of overseas students to European universities. I am assuming (hoping!) academic institutions have all been given suitable protocols in preparation for the start of the new academic year. I am sure everyone will be operating on a super cautious 'isolate first' basis given the dire potential consequences of not picking up cases as soon as possible.

I agree that it is good to see people doing the sensible thing and getting themselves checked out rather than ignoring symptoms in the hope that it isn't anything serious.

 

[Lyra500]

Two american volunteers are now immune to ebola?
"The patients will no longer have to worry about infecting others or getting infected again.
"They're immune," said Rob Dretler, M.D., of Infectious Diseases Specialists in Atlanta."



Does this mean if you survive it the first time you can't get it again?

http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/2014/08/16/american-ebola-patients-now-immune-from-disease/14170567/

I think that is the case - the only treatment is to provide support and symptomatic relief in the hope that the patient's immune system will fight off the virus. I think once you have developed antibodies to a pathogen, then your immune system should be able to reproduce those antibodies and protect you should you be exposed again in future.

Serum from those who have recovered from Ebola has been used to treat others in the past.

 

[Yoda]

Sorry and thanks, I missed where it said the tests were negative.

 

[Lyra500]

Sorry and thanks, I missed where it said the tests were negative.

No need to apologise. I do wish the press would employ just a little less hysteria when reporting these things.

Anyone reading the headline and just glancing at the first sentence would have thought there was a definite case which is naughty.

After all, the situation is bad enough anyway without giving the impression there are cases when there are not.

 

[jjenny]

Two american volunteers are now immune to ebola?
"The patients will no longer have to worry about infecting others or getting infected again.
"They're immune," said Rob Dretler, M.D., of Infectious Diseases Specialists in Atlanta."



Does this mean if you survive it the first time you can't get it again?

http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/2014/08/16/american-ebola-patients-now-immune-from-disease/14170567/

I don't believe this article is trustworthy. It says they won't be infectious after 21 days? Says who? Previous study showed otherwise.
Up to 21 days is how long incubation period is, not how long it takes for them to not become not-infectious.

.

"Ebola then spreads in the community through human-to-human transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids. Burial ceremonies in which mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person can also play a role in the transmission of Ebola. Men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit the virus through their semen for up to 7 weeks after recovery from illness."
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/