Ebola virus outbreak

Sclosages

It's a bit pointless going to help people with Ebola if you then bring it back and infect other people. Sort of cancels out the good act.

Donkey Oaty

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

To be fair, the UK authorities have handled this very well.

Or so I thought - though just listening to one Casablanca/Heathrow passenger's account on Radio 4, the screening at LHR could definitely have been better organised.

MagicMarker

Oh no, a white person has it, now we know it's serious again.

Call Me Jimmy

Im sure if it was a black person returning to scotland it would get the same coverage

Escapees

Some points:

Charity and NGO workers are usually paid. While they may be putting themselves at unnessary risk out of the 'goodness of their hearts', they are also being financially compensated.

It seems too coincidental that the nurse in question apparently developed symptoms pretty much as soon as she was back, safe and sound, on home soil. Hypothetically, if you were in a third world country with symptoms of Ebola, I think it's fair to suggest that you might be tempted to dismiss them for a day or so in order to first get a flight home, should it turn out to be the virus and you need treatment (better in thr UK I presume).

If the flights home were pre-booked weeks in advance, I wonder if the nurse in question was just returning for Christmas? If so, and she was due to go back to Sierra Leone shortly, then I really would question whether such 'breaks' should be permitted given the risks involved.

On the other hand, it could likewise become very interesting if it emerges that the flights home were arranged at the last minute... In any case, there should be an investigation of some sort to establish whether the nurse 'knowingly' put others at risk.

From my point of view, something doesn't fit with the whole story and the timing of things...

ceadaoin.

According to the telegraph she was screened at heathrow and passed. After being in the airport for an hour she went back to the screening area complaining of a high temperature. Despite her temp being checked numerous times over the next half hour, nothing abnormal was detected and she was cleared to fly.

I fail to see how it is her fault that she flew when sick in this case. She informed the relevant people that she felt unwell, either their equipment is not accurate enough or she didn't actually have a fever at the time. I think that given the fact she felt ill and would be considered as having a high risk of exposure to ebola she should have been prevented from flying as a precaution and perhaps transferred to a hospital for proper monitoring.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/11317882/Ebola-nurse-should-not-have-left-Heathrow-says-chief-medical-officer.html

Sclosages

ceadaoin. wrote: »

According to the telegraph she was screened at heathrow and passed. After being in the airport for an hour she went back to the screening area complaining of a high temperature. Despite her temp being checked numerous times over the next half hour, nothing abnormal was detected and she was cleared to fly.

I fail to see how it is her fault that she flew when sick in this case. She informed the relevant people that she felt unwell, either their equipment is not accurate enough or she didn't actually have a fever at the time. I think that given the fact she felt ill and would be considered as having a high risk of exposure to ebola she should have been prevented from flying as a precaution and perhaps transferred to a hospital for proper monitoring.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/11317882/Ebola-nurse-should-not-have-left-Heathrow-says-chief-medical-officer.html

This is the first time that I've heard anything like this but I know when I have a fever. I know because I get pains, aches, sweat, my head swells (well it feels like my eyes are about to pop), but my temp reads normal!

Turtwig

Sclosages wrote: »

This is the first time that I've heard anything like this but I know when I have a fever. I know because I get pains, aches, sweat, my head swells (well it feels like my eyes are about to pop), but my temp reads normal!

That's not necessarily a result of the fever though. The pains and aches you experienced could be due to things that happened during the fever e.g your glands expanding and becoming tender as they fought off an infection. A fever can often be a painless ache free experience.

The screening at airports is completely pointless anyway.

The fact the nurse was paranoid about having something would hopefully suggest she was extra paranoid about coming into contact with others. Think there's no too much of a knee jerk reaction with desires in restricting travel. Ebola, as cannot be over emphasised, is not that contagious.

Wish her a full recovery,

ceadaoin.

The condition of the Scottish nurse being treated in London has deteriorated and she is now in critical condition. Could be wrong, but I don't remember any of the other cases treated in western hospitals being given that status. I hope she pulls through.


http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/03/british-ebola-nurse-condition-critical-hospital-pauline-cafferkey

The condition of the British nurse diagnosed with Ebola has deteriorated and is now critical, the Royal Free hospital in north London says.

Pauline Cafferkey, a Scottish public health nurse who had been volunteering in Sierra Leone, was diagnosed with the virus after returning to Glasgow via Casablanca in Morocco.

A brief statement on the hospital’s website said: “The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is sorry to announce that the condition of Pauline Cafferkey has gradually deteriorated over the past two days and is now critical.”

It did not comment further, but it is understood that the next 12 to 24 hours will be crucial.

Cafferkey’s worsening condition comes despite being diagnosed early and receiving treatment from some of the world’s foremost experts in infectious diseases.

Polo_Mint

The Poor woman. I thought if they caught it so early you have a good chance of beating it.

ProfessorPlum

Escapees wrote: »

Some points:

Charity and NGO workers are usually paid. While they may be putting themselves at unnessary risk out of the 'goodness of their hearts', they are also being financially compensated.

It seems too coincidental that the nurse in question apparently developed symptoms pretty much as soon as she was back, safe and sound, on home soil. Hypothetically, if you were in a third world country with symptoms of Ebola, I think it's fair to suggest that you might be tempted to dismiss them for a day or so in order to first get a flight home, should it turn out to be the virus and you need treatment (better in thr UK I presume).

If the flights home were pre-booked weeks in advance, I wonder if the nurse in question was just returning for Christmas? If so, and she was due to go back to Sierra Leone shortly, then I really would question whether such 'breaks' should be permitted given the risks involved.

On the other hand, it could likewise become very interesting if it emerges that the flights home were arranged at the last minute... In any case, there should be an investigation of some sort to establish whether the nurse 'knowingly' put others at risk.

From my point of view, something doesn't fit with the whole story and the timing of things...

Ah come on now. Financially compensated? A qualified nurse or doctor could make multiples of what NGO's are paying almost anywhere. Also, many, if not most of these short term emergency relief postings are voluntary, so, no, financially compensated wouldn't be a term I'd use.

I'm also disappointed that you accuse (albeit in a not so round about way) this woman of knowingly putting others at risk without one shred of evidence.

I wish her, and all the other volunteers who put them selves in harms way so that the rest of us don't have to, a full recovery.

Stheno

Polo_Mint wrote: »

The Poor woman. I thought if they caught it so early you have a good chance of beating it.

My thoughts too, I hope she pulls through

Gael23

Things are not looking good for the nurse in Scotland,

Donkey Oaty

Good news - statement issued today:

'The Royal Free Hospital is pleased to announce that Pauline Cafferkey is showing signs of improvement and is no longer critically ill. She remains in isolation as she receives specialist care for the Ebola virus.'

dxhound2005

The outbreak appears to be nearly over.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/22/us-health-ebola-who-idUSKBN0KV0Z320150122

The final death toll will be under 10,000 which is sad but pales in comparison to the yearly figure for malaria in Africa, around 500,000.

snubbleste

Woman may have caught Ebola after having sex with survivor in Liberia

Tests conducted on the man found no trace of the disease in his blood, but the virus was present in his semen.
Scientists previously thought Ebola could survive in semen for up to 3 months, but in this instance the disease would have been transmitted more than 5 months later.

Now that it's half past.. The tags are greatl armageddon, blackdeath, catastrophic, curious george, death, doom, panic, quantum presbyterians

Egginacup

Has the US pulled out the 5000 troops it sent there for fuck knows what purpose (maybe the "war on ebola"), or have they quietly set up a command and control centre and are sticking around as "advisers"?

ceadaoin.

Egginacup wrote: »

Has the US pulled out the 5000 troops it sent there for fuck knows what purpose (maybe the "war on ebola"), or have they quietly set up a command and control centre and are sticking around as "advisers"?

Well they clearly stated what their purpose was - building treatment centres and training local medics.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2015 – Most Defense Department personnel who deployed to West Africa to support the U.S. Agency for International Development and international partners in fighting Ebola at its source already have returned to their home stations, and nearly all will return home over the next two months, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said last night.
In a statement, Kirby said DoD will identify 100 personnel who will maintain a continued presence in the region, working to strengthen the disease preparedness and surveillance capacity of the national governments.
“DoD personnel will build on a strong military partnership with the armed forces of Liberia to enhance their Ebola response efforts and provide disaster response training to the government of Liberia,” the admiral said.
Life-saving Resources
Starting in September, the Defense Department has delivered critical life-saving resources, built Ebola treatment units, trained hundreds of local and international health care workers and provided logistical support to humanitarian and public health workers who provided care throughout West Africa.
At the height of the epidemic, 2,800 DoD personnel were deployed to West Africa. About 1,500 of those personnel have returned home, Kirby said, and nearly all of the rest will be home by April 30. All have or will undergo established controlled monitoring procedures, he noted.
To support the 10,000 civilian responders who remain on the ground in West Africa, he added, the Defense Department will leave behind assets that can help health workers stem potential future outbreaks.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is grateful to the men and women of the U.S. military and their families who supported Operation United Assistance, Kirby said. “Their swift response demonstrates the need to maintain readiness, capacity and capabilities to respond to the diverse array of challenges facing the United States and our partners,” he added.

techdiver

So, a few months on and the "crisis" had passed. Where are all the doom mongers? I thought we all should be dead by now??

Can some of them explain what went wrong with their predictions?? :-)

I'm sure the same people will be eagerly waiting for the next "event", to jump upon and stir up fear....

ardinn

I will say I was worried at the time. Did we have a great escape, did the world react properly and contain it with proper measures or did we get lucky after an incredibly slow response to the initial crisis??

Nucular Arms

ardinn wrote: »

I will say I was worried at the time. Did we have a great escape, did the world react properly and contain it with proper measures or did we get lucky after an incredibly slow response to the initial crisis??

I was in Africa at the time (albeit south africa) and I must admit I was rather concerned!

ceadaoin.

techdiver wrote: »

So, a few months on and the "crisis" had passed. Where are all the doom mongers? I thought we all should be dead by now??

Can some of them explain what went wrong with their predictions?? :-)

I'm sure the same people will be eagerly waiting for the next "event", to jump upon and stir up fear....

People changed their habits in the affected areas ie bodies were disposed of immediately rather than being washed beforehand, and traditional funerals decreased, increased awareness of the importance of hand washing and the curfews that were put in place so that bodies could be collected and new cases found. All this would have helped slow the spread of the disease and coupled with increased international aid and volunteers made a huge difference. Of course we will never know how bad it would have got without these things but all the projections were based on no interventions.

gctest50

techdiver wrote: »

So, a few months on and the "crisis" had passed. Where are all the doom mongers? I thought we all should be dead by now?? .......

would a bit of H58 do for now ? mad for the bit of upskilling so it is

Unappreciated global spread of multiple antimicrobial resistant typhoid

H58 Typhi is often resistant to the first-line antimicrobials commonly used to treat the disease, and is continuing to evolve as it spreads to new regions and populations, acquiring novel mutations providing resistance to newer antimicrobial agents, such as ciprofloxacin and azithromycin.

http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ng.3281.html

Fallschirmjager

techdiver wrote: »

So, a few months on and the "crisis" had passed. Where are all the doom mongers? I thought we all should be dead by now??

Can some of them explain what went wrong with their predictions?? :-)

I'm sure the same people will be eagerly waiting for the next "event", to jump upon and stir up fear....

Sorry I'm too busy to reply as I have racial tensioned Fukushima poisoned bird flu coated in the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster..and just about to eat my mad cow diseased gmo egg, while on the phone getting brain cancer watching peak oil fracking programme on climate change with no ozone layer...

Still it could be worse...

ceadaoin.

Saw today that the Scottish nurse who contracted Ebola has been readmitted to hospital. This just after the good news that the affected countries had seen no new cases for a week. Sounds like recovering from this disease can be a long term battle.

A Scottish nurse who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone last year is in a "serious condition" after being readmitted to an isolation unit in London.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde confirmed that the virus is still present in Pauline Cafferkey's body after being left over from the original infection.
She is not thought to be contagious.
The 39-year-old has been flown back to the isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London.
Bodily tissues can harbour the Ebola infection months after the person appears to have fully recovered.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-34483584

Baggy Trousers

techdiver wrote: »

So, a few months on and the "crisis" had passed. Where are all the doom mongers? I thought we all should be dead by now??

Can some of them explain what went wrong with their predictions?? :-)

I'm sure the same people will be eagerly waiting for the next "event", to jump upon and stir up fear....

I was reminded of this ebola panic today. The whole world went a bit OTT. Is the ebola outbreak contained? Did it ever spread outside the 4 west African countries?

Stheno

Baggy Trousers wrote: »

I was reminded of this ebola panic today. The whole world went a bit OTT. Is the ebola outbreak contained? Did it ever spread outside the 4 west African countries?

Read the post above yours?

Anyway, thoughts to nurse Pauline, she is now critically ill

Baggy Trousers

Stheno wrote: »

Read the post above yours?

Anyway, thoughts to nurse Pauline, she is now critically ill

Yes I saw that and I hope she gets better, it's an awful virus.

However I was asking in general terms whether the ebola outbreak in west Africa was contained etc.

Stheno

Baggy Trousers wrote: »

Yes I saw that and I hope she gets better, it's an awful virus.

However I was asking in general terms whether the ebola outbreak in west Africa was contained etc.

Yes