Ebola outbreak - general thread #6

[lawstudent]

I think they'd know if they had ebola before. They probably were just staying very far away from his bodily fluids and any close contact, and maybe they were especially good with cleaning up and washing hands. His condition deteriorated after hospitalization, and he was no longer in a position to care for himself in any way, so the nurses had much more risky contact over a longer period of time. Especially once sedated, he probably had very little self-control. When he was with his family, I imagine he tried not to vomit on them. They weren't dealing with massive clean ups.

 

[CARIIS]

Over there -They spend less than $100 per year per person on health care

Six African countries have already banned or suspended flights from Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone, and others have instituted other travel restrictions

travel bans are appealing because they make people feel safe. But she argued that safety could be an illusion.

"It gives us the false assurance that we can ignore the problems that are happening in Africa," she said. "At the end of the day, we can't. And our own safety depends on our getting it right there, not on building the walls."

Many public health experts who oppose the travel ban argue that it's simply not practica

doesn't support a travel ban right now because people with financial means can travel to an intermediate country before entering the United States. West Africa's many porous borders make such travel even easier, he said.

A ban could also encourage people to lie about where they have been,

international volunteers who go into West Africa to help treat Ebola patients need to know that they can get back out... travel restrictions might make volunteers think twice,

77 people have been blocked from leaving the affected countries since this summer

None of them tested positive for Ebola, he said, adding that they most likely had malaria, a mosquito-borne disease that shares early symptoms with Ebola.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/10/141007-ebola-travel-ban-restrictions-health-world/

 

[Yoda]

Addressing criticism that Australia isn't contributing enough to the international fight against Ebola, Mr Dutton said that without such agreements in place any Australian health worker who became infected would face a minimum 30-hour flight back home and would be unlikely to survive.

I hadn't really thought about how long an evacuation flight would be for an Australian citizen. I am glad their government is making sure plans are in place before volunteering any of their countrymen. JMO



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...la-workers-20141016-116txw.html#ixzz3GGzkI5u7

 

[FlamingoLady]

http://mobile.wnd.com/2014/10/u-s-army-warns-of-potential-airborne-ebola/

I do not know if this an approved WS link so please forgive me if it's not.
I found this VERY informative and easy to understand.
I can't help but wonder if there was a failing in the hospital's air filtration system/negative pressure isolation.

ETA: Read comments at bottom of article at your own risk. They're pretty sketchy....

 

[Gypsy Road]

Obama: ‘I hugged and kissed’ medical staff treating an Ebola patient — and ‘felt perfectly safe doing so’
By Katie Zezima October 15 at 6:54 PM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/10/15/obama-i-hugged-and-kissed-medical-staff-treating-an-ebola-patient-and-felt-perfectly-safe-doing-so/



if already posted let me know and I will delete

I've read and I've heard officials say that it CAN be transmitted by someone sneezing or coughing on you! Droplets can go in through your nose, mouth, eyes...cracks in skin, etc... Am I wrong?

 

[Ladylub]

Has anyone seen anything about the guy in street clothes who was with the latest victim boarding the plane?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...a-nurse-board-plane-atlanta-joining-them.html

There is this here I didnt really read article you posted yet

But I had a giggle athe the last line in this article. Comic relief is so needed :

Bottom line: He got on the plane and is not in the Dallas area.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/health/P...279357962.html?_osource=SocialFlowFB_DFWBrand

 

[Jersey*Girl]

Does anyone have a list handy of all medicines used in the past, as well as present, for Ebola? I'm curious and would like to look up patents. Something just doesn't add up to me. We've avoided EBV in the USA since the get go, yet now we're not so lucky? Now? Now when we're at the peak of technology and medical schools are rich with funding for various research on infectious diseases? An entire ocean separates us from where this originated. Wth is going on?

 

[Redux]

Does anyone have a list handy of all medicines used in the past, as well as present, for Ebola? I'm curious and would like to look up patents. Something just doesn't add up to me. We've avoided EBV in the USA since the get go, yet now we're not so lucky? Now? Now when we're at the peak of technology and medical schools are rich with funding for various research on infectious diseases? An entire ocean separates us from where this originated. Wth is going on?

From what little I've read on previous outbreaks, they've always been in isolated areas of Africa and died out quickly so they never got the chance to make the transcontinental leap, so to speak.

JMO.

ETA: what boggles me is the fact that it has reached here but doesn't seem to have reached india or south america yet. Anyone knows of cases in either spots? (off to look for myself)

 

[Gypsy Road]

If blood transfusions from previously infected survivors of Ebola are of help to the now infected....why can't they fly in blood from Liberia? Why couldn't that have tried that with Duncan? I'm sorry if this is a dumb question. I am feeling the effects of Nyquil and trying to stay awake to read posts!

 

[alwaysonmymind]

PHD offering rooms to employees that had cared for ebola patients.

@BrandonToddFOX4: TX Health Presby: "offering room to any impacted employees..avoid even remote possibility of potential exposure to family, friends" @FOX4

 

[Yoda]

Ohio and North Carolina set up ebola hotlines

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Health is activating a 24-hour-a-day call center to answer Ohioans' questions about Ebola and the recent events in Ohio in an effort to ensure Ohioans get accurate, timely information.


The number for Ohioans to call is 1-866-800-1404.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Between four to six specialists man the phones at the state’s new 24-hour Ebola hotline in Charlotte.

It’s an information center put together by Carolinas Poison Center as part of Gov. McCrory’s plan to be prepared in case of an Ebola outbreak.

So far, the hotline has gotten about 104 calls in the past 48 hours.

Specialists are trained to ask callers worried they may have Ebola if they’ve recently traveled to West Africa or have come in contact with someone with the virus.
NC Ebola hotline number is 1-800-222-1222

http://myfox8.com/2014/10/15/ebola-call-center-opened-in-charlotte/


http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/local/2014/10/15/ebola-ohio-call-center/17333259/

 

[FlamingoLady]

If blood transfusions from previously infected survivors of Ebola are of help to the now infected....why can't they fly in blood from Liberia? Why couldn't that have tried that with Duncan? I'm sorry if this is a dumb question. I am feeling the effects of Nyquil and trying to stay awake to read posts!

That's a good question. It's FFP (Fresh Frozen Plasma) that is transfused and I know there's a time limit from within which you should transfuse it. I don't know if the time limit is simply after it's been taken out of the "fridge" for lack of a better word, or from when it was donated. It could certainly be kept frozen while transported, I'd think....Very good question, IMO.

 

[CARIIS]

This getting just silly! Now they are changing fever numbers. Anyone knows fever is a progression. I thought this from the beginning. They are acting like any person that is ill - goes poof. Attempting to track anything by anyones body temp is ludicrious.

So if one is 99.2 - means no Ebola - if 99.6 monitor if 100.2 quarantine--101.5 call the airplane. There is absolutly nothing in any of this , since we are truly talking about a temperature range of what 4 degrees - which is indicative of body trying to kll something bad in it ----there is like this complete ignoring that theremoeters themselves have different variances, are they asking anyone did you just drink a chilled drink 8 minutes ago , are they asking if they were late for their flight and ran over the whole way.

I am not saying fever is not an indicator, but to use it as this accurate way to determine if someone is heading for a mild flu, malaria, Ebola whatever

I ran a low grade fever for 48 hours coming off of coffee no kidding!

Man USA is using thermomters as the pillar of a virus

Earlier post
“Theoretically, wet and bigger droplets from a heavily infected individual, who has respiratory symptoms caused by other conditions or who vomits violently, could transmit the virus – over a short distance – to another nearby person,” the WHO Ebola situation assessment said.
Read more at http://mobile.wnd.com/2014/10/u-s-army-warns-of-potential-airborne-ebola/#sY4V6SVgiWhA9PMQ.99

media keeps doing this - forgetting -- that someone at that point - is flat on there back in pain, close to death etc. How can the media keep "believing" that someone that ill, vomiting unable to control other issues is riding a subway, on a plane, going to school or running errands - it just makes no sense to me!

 

[Redux]

From what little I've read on previous outbreaks, they've always been in isolated areas of Africa and died out quickly so they never got the chance to make the transcontinental leap, so to speak.

JMO.

ETA: what boggles me is the fact that it has reached here but doesn't seem to have reached india or south america yet. Anyone knows of cases in either spots? (off to look for myself)

Follow up: One suspected case in Brazil - won't know test results until Saturday. None in India that I could find.

From the India Times:

The country's state of public health is reason for concern. If the killer virus breaks through the barriers, Ebola could well become a pandemic with the combined problems of an overstretched health system and inadequate monitoring and tracking mechanisms.

India has one nurse per 1,000 people, according to the 2010 World Bank data compared to 10 nurses for every 1,000 in the US. Health experts say doctors and nurses seldom wear protective gloves as a mandatory practice which could lead to immediate infection and spread of the virus.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Can-India-block-ebola-invasion/articleshow/44831925.cms

 

[Ladylub]

More comic relief

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd...._=1420628763_3b019589fa14c3a27253549197955773

ETA Sorry guys . I'm close enough to be concerned. It's look for the humor or cry, right ? So I am not at all trying to make light of the situation whatsoever. But when a little funny goes by, I'm trying to
appreciate it for what its worth

I know... I was talking to my mom earlier who lives in Louisiana. After Katrina there was an apartment building that was going to be knocked down and redone across from our apartments. Instead the owners held off on tearing it down and turned it into housing for those displaced. They had a fair share of good and bad people but the bad out weighed the good and soon the criminals pushed through the whole complex. So the joke was my mom sent the criminals my way and it was my move next. So I told her today "my moved...... Ebola ashes..... top that" Of course my move will more likely get rejected but it was worth a shot. But to laugh in the mist of all this is needed.

These poor kids here are so confused as to what sickness is going around school. Right now its pink eye but they told the kids we need to wash our hands and make sure we are not touching others. Well of course its on the news all the time here so even to turn on for the weather the kids are hearing about it. So the 1st grade teacher today had to explain that she was not worried about Ebola she was worried about pink eye b/c a kid in his class had it and gave it to his brother who awesomely enough is in my oldest kiddos classroom who was kind enough to share his pink eye with my daughter and the other 3 kids that sit at that table.

 

[SStarr33]

If blood transfusions from previously infected survivors of Ebola are of help to the now infected....why can't they fly in blood from Liberia? Why couldn't that have tried that with Duncan? I'm sorry if this is a dumb question. I am feeling the effects of Nyquil and trying to stay awake to read posts!

HIV, hepatitis, malaria is what i have heard. But clearly they don't all have it so we need to get it going

 

[Jersey*Girl]

And something else... Everybody's going ape$h!+ over flights coming from Africa but where do we get the majority of our cocoa? From Africa via ship. It's not a far cry to think an infected rat or two could be on board those ships. It's also not unheard of for a rat to infect another animal, especially wildlife, stray cats & dogs.

Our dogs & cats here in the USA are not meals, they're not our version of bushmeat. They are our pets that become our family members. maybe some extra precautions should be taken with our animals until EBV is under control. My cat stays inside... Our version of bushmeat here could be considered muskrat, rabbit, deer. Well deer is a version of antelope isn't it, or is it just related in some way? There's an animal like a deer over in Liberia (as well as other parts of Africa) that are natural hosts to the EBV. The reason dogs in that area of Africa become hosts to EBV is bc they roam free and eat dead rodents (rats, bats, etc) that were infected with EBV.

The reason I posted that PDF from the CDC study, which I mistakenly thought was a study done by the WHO (sorry), is bc here in the USA alot of our hunters use hunting dogs. So.... Just thought I'd mention its something I was thinking about.

The PDF:
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/3/pdfs/04-0981.pdf

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Does anyone have a list handy of all medicines used in the past, as well as present, for Ebola? I'm curious and would like to look up patents. Something just doesn't add up to me. We've avoided EBV in the USA since the get go, yet now we're not so lucky? Now? Now when we're at the peak of technology and medical schools are rich with funding for various research on infectious diseases? An entire ocean separates us from where this originated. Wth is going on?

As I understand it ebola has only been known since the seventies and there have maybe only been a handful of years where actual outbreaks occurred. Prior to this the outbreaks were better contained, maybe because they were in more remote areas, or if it's like the flu where you have years an strains that are worse than others or what.

 

[FlamingoLady]

This getting just silly! Now they are changing fever numbers. Anyone knows fever is a progression. I thought this from the beginning. They are acting like any person that is ill - goes poof. Attempting to track anything by anyones body temp is ludicrious.

So if one is 99.2 - means no Ebola - if 99.6 monitor if 100.2 quarantine--101.5 call the airplane. There is absolutly nothing in any of this , since we are truly talking about a temperature range of what 4 degrees - which is indicative of body trying to kll something bad in it ----there is like this complete ignoring that theremoeters themselves have different variances, are they asking anyone did you just drink a chilled drink 8 minutes ago , are they asking if they were late for their flight and ran over the whole way.

I am not saying fever is not an indicator, but to use it as this accurate way to determine if someone is heading for a mild flu, malaria, Ebola whatever

I ran a low grade fever for 48 hours coming off of coffee no kidding!

Man USA is using thermomters as the pillar of a virus

Earlier post
“Theoretically, wet and bigger droplets from a heavily infected individual, who has respiratory symptoms caused by other conditions or who vomits violently, could transmit the virus – over a short distance – to another nearby person,” the WHO Ebola situation assessment said.
Read more at http://mobile.wnd.com/2014/10/u-s-army-warns-of-potential-airborne-ebola/#sY4V6SVgiWhA9PMQ.99

media keeps doing this - forgetting -- that someone at that point - is flat on there back in pain, close to death etc. How can the media keep "believing" that someone that ill, vomiting unable to control other issues is riding a subway, on a plane, going to school or running errands - it just makes no sense to me!

My primary focus in that article was the info on the negative pressure isolation and air filtration system in regards to the infected nurses. If Mr Duncan was projectile vomiting, droplets could very well be "airborne", for lack of a better word. If there was a failure in that isolation system, could caregivers be exposed to the virus in the ante room where they would be removing their PPE? That was my thought. Not that the average dying Ebola patient would be on a bus or subway.

 

[SweetT]

PHD offering rooms to employees that had cared for ebola patients.

@BrandonToddFOX4: TX Health Presby: "offering room to any impacted employees..avoid even remote possibility of potential exposure to family, friends" @FOX4

who is PHD?
figured it out.