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Post by mich64 on Oct 15, 2014 21:13:21 GMT
Yes Casi, the cases in Spain and Dallas are very concerning. They say the second nurse travelled to make plans for her upcoming wedding and flew back a day before a fever started. My sister-in-law is Head of Micro-biology at our Lab in the Hospital and tells us that is highly unusual to become infected unless you have direct contact with the fluids from an infected individual. She said that out of the thousands of people in Africa that have died from ebola, there have only been 2 health care workers there infected.
My husband spent his morning in a Hazardous Material training session. While they do this frequently, as he is a member of a regional response team, I am sure there were additional things discussed today.
The Canadian equivalent of the American CDC has developed a vaccine for ebola that the W.H.O. has finally authorized human trials to begin. It is being administered to volunteers at a Military Hospital in the U.S. In research trials in animals it was 100% effective so hopefully this will translate in the human trials and they can begin administering the vaccine to people in the African countries were it is needed now.
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Post by bjd on Oct 16, 2014 5:25:28 GMT
Even the patient's ashes? Surely cremation would kill the virus?
Sorry -this was a response to Casi's mention of Louisiana. I hadn't seen Mich's response.
I think people do have to realize that contamination comes from contact with bodily fluids -- there is a lot of scare-mongering going on.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2014 5:52:01 GMT
I've always felt that a lot of people "enjoy" having irrational fears. Look at how they acted when AIDS arrived on the scene. Almost 30 years later I'm sure that a lot of people still wouldn't want to use the same toilet as someone with HIV.
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Post by tod2 on Oct 16, 2014 7:23:41 GMT
That's a shame concerning AIDS virus and the only way you can get AIDS/HIV. Not many people are aware that the A/HIV virus is extremely delicate. It dies immediately when exposed to air. When transmitted it HAS to be direct fluid to direct fluid. Well that's what a doctor told me. You would think then that sloppy kissing would pass it on? Maybe there is too much air in the mouth/saliva? I heard of a another terrible condition that adults can catch from kissing slobbering babies. Who would have thought....
This morning a heard the details of the Ebola virus and it's 7 components. Seems that it can 'hide' behind a persons immune system and fox it into believing all is well in the body. When it becomes overpowering and the body recognizes it's threat, it then over-reacts causing blood vessels to disintegrate and massive bleeding occurs everywhere and the persons body just liquifies.
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Post by questa on Oct 16, 2014 7:29:18 GMT
The line that is being pushed here is 'hysteria is a worse contagion than Ebola'
A Nurse came back to Oz after working with Ebola patients. She put herself into isolation at home and checked for symptoms. At slight fever she notified the hospital and went into isolation there in a room near ER so as not to spread bugs being trolleyed through the hospital. 2 lots of tests have come back negative and she has received praise for the way she kept clear from other people.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2014 13:51:44 GMT
The Paris Airports Authority seems to be trying to appease some of the hysteria, because they're going to start doing "arrival screening" on the flights from Conakry, which is the only Ebola zone that still has direct flights to France. But they are pointing out at the same time that lots of people from the affected areas change planes in Dakar or Casablanca or Brussels or Frankfurt to get to Paris. The only useful screening is at departure, and it appears that it is now being done quite well in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
Meanwhile, the death toll now stands at 4,447.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2014 14:58:49 GMT
I agree that there is much fear mongering, hysteria regarding this but, there's a fine line in my opinion between what is hysteria, over cautiounesss and common sense precautions and protocols that were not followed. I think the CDC really flubbed this in allowing this woman to fly on a commercial flight, on top of the other risks that should have been handled with proper health care precautions. The head of the CDC reminds me of Brownie, the head of Homeland Security during post Katrina and how inept he was. I think Dallas has been a wake up call for better precautions being taken.
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Post by tod2 on Oct 16, 2014 16:13:04 GMT
I was so sad to hear a victim arrived in Paris. I think the tide has to be stemmed from the source. Otherwise as one patient dies - or maybe lives, another arrives. I can't think of a worse case scenario than been given a seat next to an obvious ordinary West African passenger or health worker, who spent the time in flight looking grim, saying they felt grim, and maybe sweating from fever. Everyone knows your breath is moist so you would definitely breath in the same breath. I'm waiting for our population to get infected....I can't see us escaping as we now have thousands of people streaming in from everywhere in Africa.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2014 18:34:54 GMT
There is a new possible case in France -- a nurse who was in contact with the other French nurse who had Ebola (and was cured).
Meanwhile, there may be another case concerning an Air France flight from Paris to Madrid. A Nigerian passenger on the flight became very ill with fever, shakes and head pains. The flight was briefly isolated, but the 155 passengers and 7 crew members have now been release and told to stay in close contact with authorities if they have any symptoms.
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Post by mich64 on Oct 16, 2014 19:15:34 GMT
I wonder how long the vaccine trials will take. I have been listening to the news coverage while doing chores today but have not heard any reporting on those expectations.
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Post by questa on Oct 16, 2014 23:14:03 GMT
At first there will not be enough vaccine to go around when one is developed so it will be rationed. Also it will be still very new and untested for long term side effects.
Who chooses the recipients of the vaccine? I am thinking of the G20 meetings about to take place in Oz with world leaders and their entourages making the long flights to get here. Do they get vaccinated at the expense of the people in the danger zones in Africa? Would Obama and Putin receive such a new vaccine?
We live in interesting times.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2014 14:26:20 GMT
Morocco seems to have offically abandoned hosting the African Cup of Nations. Meanwhile, it looks like a famine is on the way.
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Post by mossie on Oct 17, 2014 14:46:20 GMT
Looks as though the third and fourth Horsemen of the Apocalypse have been let loose, how long before the others follow?
Amidst all this doom and gloom the way ebola has spread in America and Europe just shows how complacent the people in high places in public institutions have become. Hopefully now that the UK is sending a hospital ship and 750 staff other nations will also do their part and hopefully get on top of the situation. We have lived in our comfort zone for far too long now, perhaps this is the wakeup call the world needs.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2014 17:21:09 GMT
Mossie, you are a voice of reason to me on this matter. Thank you. In the meantime, President Obama has appointed an" Ebola Czar",to help represent the US regarding this crisis. The guy he appointed has absolutely no health care credentials whatsoever to be in this position.
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Post by mich64 on Oct 17, 2014 19:20:42 GMT
A ship cruising in Mexico has halted its stops and is now returning to port in the U.S. as there is a passenger on board who worked in the hospital lab in Texas. She quarantined herself and her partner in their cabin and informed the staff that she had worked in the lab and may have come in contact with fluids from the patient with ebola. I have not heard whether she is suffering symptoms or has just decided to be cautious.
I agree with Mossie, there has to be more effort by the world wide community to provide the assistance to those countries trying to get this under control. There are no borders when it comes to infectious diseases.
One African (sorry I can not remember which country the reporter was talking about this morning) country is reporting they no longer have any cases of ebola and all quarantined citizens have passed the infection time period. I think there measures and protocols should be examined to aid other communities in how they were successful.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2014 19:36:22 GMT
I read that Senegal has been reported to be free of Ebola, but they only had one or two imported cases. It has always been considered to be one of the more responsible West African countries.
There were about a half dozen suspected cases in France and Spain over the last 48 hours, but they all seem to have come out negative.
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Post by mich64 on Oct 17, 2014 20:35:07 GMT
Thank you Kerouac, it was Senegal that I heard about this morning as well.
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Post by questa on Oct 17, 2014 22:01:33 GMT
Mossie, reminds me of the T S Eliot poem lines... This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper Alternately, it may be the one thing that pushes all the warring nations to work together to overcome this and other diseases.
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Post by tod2 on Oct 18, 2014 9:19:45 GMT
Looks like the Chinese had done some thinking and mapped out a strategy long before the West woke up.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2014 20:07:32 GMT
The death toll is now 4,900 with more than 10,000 cases.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2014 14:21:48 GMT
There is now a confirmed case of Ebola in Mali, and also the one that has been reported in New York.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2014 14:28:19 GMT
Yes, the Dr. diagnosed in NYC had just returned from Guinea where he had been working with Ebola patients. Upon returning home to NYC, the guy goes about riding the subway, goes bowling, and all manner of public activities. Real responsible work on the part of the CDC and other health officials.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2014 18:42:03 GMT
There are four "suspected" cases of persons possibly infected here in NOLA. In the meantime, the nationwide frenzy is OTT with some states mandating a 21 day mandatory isolation to those who are being asked to not leave their homes. And, of course, with election day being only about 10 days away, and, several US Senatorial seats in contention and up for grabs, it's being used by some candidates as a political agenda to garnish votes. What a mess.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2014 19:18:14 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2014 5:54:24 GMT
I was looking for an updated worldwide death toll since my last post about it on October 23 and none of the figures have changed. Have they stopped counting?
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Post by mossie on Oct 28, 2014 19:10:14 GMT
The latest seems to be 3 days old and approaching 5,000 deaths. Not news any more, except to those affected of course.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2014 19:15:56 GMT
My post was merely to point out the ridiculousness of the American hysteria compared to the tragedy of Africa. I grieve for all those living in appalling conditions, unable to escape the escalating infection and the world's indifference to their plight.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2014 19:59:32 GMT
Don't worry, lizzy. I thought your post was excellent. And of course it was very appropriate considering where the real problem lies.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2014 18:26:56 GMT
The first major conference regarding the Ebola crisis is going to be here in NOLA next week. WHO and the CDC along with many other infectious disease professionals will be convening for 5 days.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2014 21:14:49 GMT
The latest update said 4,951 deaths for 13,657 cases, but that was dated 31 October.
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