Ebola virus outbreak

wazky · 09-10-2014 07:34PM

Handy way to smuggle a few cigs back though, which security guard at Dublin Airport is going to give me a through search after I've just arrived back from West Africa.

Streetwalker · 09-10-2014 07:37PM

Putinovsky wrote: »

What I find odd are the people who are poking fun at those who believe this is going to turn into a serious crisis. Some here would have you believe that this is minor issue that will pass, I don't think any world leaders, health organizations, monetary institutions etc. are treating this the same way. The World Bank will be giving nearly a billion euros, America are sending over 4,000 troops to Sierra Leone, there are regular crisis meetings being held with world leaders. This is an absolutely huge issue yet some posters would have you believe that this a nothing issue

Stock market is way down today in NY because of it. If those guys are worried we all should be. A lot of people are in complete denial including some posters on here.

realweirdo · 09-10-2014 07:45PM

Probably the best way to avoid it is to move somewhere really isolated, with few connections, most likely a remote island. Somewhere like Greenland, or else Siberia, which though not an island is remote all the same. After humanity dies out, the few survivors can begin all over again.

littlemac1980 · 09-10-2014 07:47PM

realweirdo wrote: »

Probably the best way to avoid it is to move somewhere really isolated, with few connections, most likely a remote island. Somewhere like Greenland, or else Siberia, which though not an island is remote all the same. After humanity dies out, the few survivors can begin all over again.

Or Leitrim

Peist2007 · 09-10-2014 07:47PM

Spring Onion wrote: »

I am looking forward to reading some of these posts in say January. I bet some of the hype clowns will have closed their accounts!

Having read through the last few pages of this thread, there is only one clown in here my little scallion

realweirdo · 09-10-2014 07:47PM

littlemac1980 wrote: »

Or Leitrim

Or Leitrim!

gozunda · 09-10-2014 07:48PM

littlemac1980 wrote: »

Or Leitrim

Leitrim is only a myth (according to Dustin) ...

My name is URL · 09-10-2014 07:50PM

Sclosages wrote: »

There are vaccinations against malaria and TB. Diarrhoea is not a disease, but a symptom.

There are 'vaccines' for seasonal influenza too, but 100,000's die from it each year in the developed world. I'd be willing to bet that even if there was a significant outbreak, in a couple of large cities, the numbers wouldn't get close to how many succumb to flu. Even in the most ebola affected of areas.

As well as being one of the deadliest viruses, it is one of the most self-limiting too.

Peist2007 · 09-10-2014 07:50PM

I was thinking in some ways it could be a good thing that there were basic errors almost made immediately. Total vigilance will now hopefully be the mantra across the world. Medical workers will now know that half-assedness will lead to infection. That could mean new cases are minimised and the disease gets the respect it deserves and slows down.

hmmm · 09-10-2014 07:55PM

The key thing we can do to fight this is by launching an awareness campaign where we all dump a bucket of blood over our heads.

miss no stars · 09-10-2014 07:57PM

The inability to read statistical information in general is shocking.

"Ebola has an R number of only 2, compared with HIV which has an R number of 4"

Sure, but half the people with Ebola die from it fairly quickly after contracting it. People with HIV tend to live years (and presently decades) after contracting it.

I think that it's safe to say that makes Ebola HIGHLY contagious.

Also, the inability to understand the consequences of a lower mortality rate is equally shocking. If 50% of people don't die, that means they are alive longer to pass it on to other people for longer. The real mutation danger with Ebola is not the rather unlikely scenario of it mutating to be transmissible through aerosols, but the mortality rate DROPPING. An outbreak where 90% of those infected die will actually self-contain itself fairly quickly. It'll burn out before more fuel can be added, if you will. But natural selection means that the virus will mutate towards a form that survives the longest and can have longer and longer person-to-person transmissions. From Ebola's perspective, it's not good if 90% of those you infect drop dead within 3 weeks. Whereas a mortality rate of say, 30%, that isn't quite so catastrophic to the host, means that the host will be "well" for longer, will be contagious and still in their community for longer, will allow for more transmission.

LuckyLloyd · 09-10-2014 07:59PM

The more I read the more I decide that travel bans need to be enforced. No travel out of the three affected countries; no travel to except for essential medical / military personnel

miss no stars · 09-10-2014 08:03PM

Also, for those going on about how influenza and AIDs kill more people every year. Sure, but we can currently contain Ebola. If we don't contain it, it will spread to levels where future containment is impossible and will certainly kill more people than influenza and AIDS. Right now, it's at a point where a "New AIDS" can be prevented, but it won't remain in that way for much longer. Those with the ability to do so must act now.

jsd1004 · 09-10-2014 08:03PM

Avian flu, swine flu, flu, aids,SARS, what are the odds this will be forgotten about in a year?

qo2cj1dsne8y4k · 09-10-2014 08:03PM

I haven't watched the news in months but wtf?! I'm watching it tonight. People dropping like flies, everywhere on high alert. Is this the new aids

realweirdo · 09-10-2014 08:04PM

miss no stars wrote: »

The inability to read statistical information in general is shocking.

"Ebola has an R number of only 2, compared with HIV which has an R number of 4"

Sure, but half the people with Ebola die from it fairly quickly after contracting it. People with HIV tend to live years (and presently decades) after contracting it.

I think that it's safe to say that makes Ebola HIGHLY contagious.

Also, the inability to understand the consequences of a lower mortality rate is equally shocking. If 50% of people don't die, that means they are alive longer to pass it on to other people for longer. The real mutation danger with Ebola is not the rather unlikely scenario of it mutating to be transmissible through aerosols, but the mortality rate DROPPING. An outbreak where 90% of those infected die will actually self-contain itself fairly quickly. It'll burn out before more fuel can be added, if you will. But natural selection means that the virus will mutate towards a form that survives the longest and can have longer and longer person-to-person transmissions. From Ebola's perspective, it's not good if 90% of those you infect drop dead within 3 weeks. Whereas a mortality rate of say, 30%, that isn't quite so catastrophic to the host, means that the host will be "well" for longer, will be contagious and still in their community for longer, will allow for more transmission.

Agreed Miss...the longer people live the more people they can potentially infect. Someone might survive it but pass it on to others who might die.

As for the R number, I think it refers to over the lifetime of a person. So an infected HIV person could infect 4 over a number of decades. An ebola person could infect 2 over a number of days.

In other words, the R number doesn't tell much. People cite it as a reason not to panic, but its meaningless in the case of ebola. The daily number of new cases and how fast it is spreading is more intuitive. And eventually a decision will have to be made to isolate West Africa from the rest of the world, whether people like it or not.

miss no stars · 09-10-2014 08:04PM

LexieOnRale wrote: »

I haven't watched the news in months but wtf?! I'm watching it tonight. People dropping like flies, everywhere on high alert. Is this the new aids

Not yet, but it might be if people don't take their heads out of the sand and recognize the threat that it poses instead of lolling back in their armchairs saying "sure flu kills more, be grand"

09-10-2014 08:05PM

Dallas Deputy tests negative :pac:

http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/2014/10/presbyterian-hospital-says-deputy-who-fell-ill-after-visiting-dallas-ebola-patients-home-in-good-condition.html/

Streetwalker · 09-10-2014 08:06PM

jsd1004 wrote: »

Avian flu, swine flu, flu, aids,SARS, what are the odds this will be forgotten about in a year?

Who forgot about Aids?

Peist2007 · 09-10-2014 08:08PM

Jake1 wrote: »

Dallas Deputy tests negative :pac:

http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/2014/10/presbyterian-hospital-says-deputy-who-fell-ill-after-visiting-dallas-ebola-patients-home-in-good-condition.html/

Great news if true. Don't know why it is funny though?

littlemac1980 · 09-10-2014 08:09PM

jsd1004 wrote: »

Avian flu, swine flu, flu, aids,SARS, what are the odds this will be forgotten about in a year?

1 in 14

jsd1004 · 09-10-2014 08:10PM

realweirdo wrote: »

Agreed Miss...the longer people live the more people they can potentially infect. Someone might survive it but pass it on to others who might die.

As for the R number, I think it refers to over the lifetime of a person. So an infected HIV person could infect 4 over a number of decades. An ebola person could infect 2 over a number of days.

In other words, the R number doesn't tell much. People cite it as a reason not to panic, but its meaningless in the case of ebola. The daily number of new cases and how fast it is spreading is more intuitive. And eventually a decision will have to be made to isolate West Africa from the rest of the world, whether people like it or not.

I love a bit of racism. We should should just isolate all sub Saharan Africas because they spread HIV as well. They don't use condoms like...as if we do..

09-10-2014 08:10PM

Peist2007 wrote: »

Great news if true. Don't know why it is funny though?

its not funny, the face was meant as a happy face, as in, happy the man does not have ebola

here , have this

littlemac1980 · 09-10-2014 08:12PM

jsd1004 wrote: »

I love a bit of racism. We should should just isolate all sub Saharan Africas because they spread HIV as well. They don't use condoms like...as if we do..

The logical reaction to contain would likely be the same if it was the Scandinavian countries. No racism involved.

realweirdo · 09-10-2014 08:12PM

jsd1004 wrote: »

I love a bit of racism. We should should just isolate all sub Saharan Africas because they spread HIV as well. They don't use condoms like...as if we do..

And I love a bit of immaturity.

The reason for isolating west africa or the 3 countries most affected is to contain it and because that's where it originated, largely due to the consumption of bush meat in those countries. Open borders just isn't going to solve this.

jsd1004 · 09-10-2014 08:12PM

littlemac1980 wrote: »

1 in 14

Cool. I'll throw a 100 euro on it. See you this time next year

FlashR2D2 · 09-10-2014 08:13PM

LexieOnRale wrote: »

I haven't watched the news in months but wtf?! I'm watching it tonight. People dropping like flies, everywhere on high alert. Is this the new aids

You should probably bolt your door tonight..... so the public can remain safe from you, you sound delirious!

My name is URL · 09-10-2014 08:14PM

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

The more I read the more I decide that travel bans need to be enforced. No travel out of the three affected countries; no travel to except for essential medical / military personnel

Would the people delivering aid be allowed to fly home? They'd be the ones in closest contact with the sick... while those that haven't been near anyone that was ill would be stuck there to get sick and pass it on to military etc?

Makes no sense really... And that's even before you go into things like border security and the like.

Tell entire populations that they can't leave their home and more people than ever will try to leave. There'd probably be more people travelling from WA than there ever was.

littlemac1980 · 09-10-2014 08:14PM

jsd1004 wrote: »

Cool. I'll throw a 100 euro on it. See you this time next year

Sweet are sure you will remember?

qo2cj1dsne8y4k · 09-10-2014 08:14PM

FlashR2D2 wrote: »

You should probably bolt your door tonight..... so the public can remain safe from you, you sound delirious!

Bit uncalled for, no?

Ebola virus outbreak

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