...Aaaaaand we've crossed a thousand dead. Still not time to panic yet... but only because it's never time to panic when it'll only make things worse. Honestly, I don't think the international community can afford to act in half-measures anymore - not that they should've done so before, but hindsight's 20/20. They need to intervene decisively to prevent the medical (and social) infrastructure from breaking down, or face an explosion of cases when it finally collapses.
Infection control and sanitisation are still key. There can't be enough experimental drugs for everyone.
edited 12th Aug '14 6:47:29 AM by Pyrite
Not a substitute for a formal medical consultation.WHO approves any experimental drug to try and fight Ebola since death toll is 1,013.
They still want people to be very informed and have a mountain of consent, but too many people are dying not to just risk any attempt to fight it.
Rwanda, Benin, and Senegal have all isolated people who have recently traveled to the area. Doctors without Boarders has about 600 people in the area and are desperately swamped.
This is a poor time for America to defund pharmaceutical endeavors, but they have.
"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - AszurSwine flu killed 10,000 people.
People have a right to be concerned.
EDIT: And that was people in America, where we have things like flu shots and decent medical care.
This is catastrophic for West Africa. Of the over 700 million without access to clean drinking water, This area has a sizable portion. Combine that with all the other health and poverty issues these areas are struggling with, it's very concerning.
edited 12th Aug '14 12:50:03 PM by Gabrael
"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - AszurBut this is not swine flu. This is Ebola. This has a mortality rate of 60% as opposed to 0.5%. The only reason why it hasn't gone further yet is just because of 1) its method of transmission makes it hard to spread and 2) its high mortality rate kills people before they can spread them (normally).
Sure, no danger to us who has a functional healthcare system but to West Africa this is really really bad.
Hell yeah, about time somebody threw West Africa a bone and this is exactly what it needs right now! Only problem though I imagine would be the issue of reproducing the vaccine quickly enough to distribute to a large population. That's not a speedy process and depending on how difficult it is to culture in a laboratory setting, it can take up to several months...
The article said it would go to medical personnel first. so I think that is a good thing.
not only will the valuable people we need who can help treat people be (hopefully) able to do their job, if they stop dying this could help breed confidence in the people.
"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - AszurAbout those two guys who got the treatment, cured of the virus, then sent back to America: Are they still carriers? I read up that a man still carries the virus in his semen for up to 7 weeks after infection...
edited 14th Aug '14 10:54:59 AM by ironcommando
...ehehSawyer, the man who brought Ebola into Nigeria evaded quarantine.
Apparently, Liberia had quarentined him and diagnosed him with Ebola. Sawyer didn't trust Liberia's system, feared that he would be misdiagnosed and harmed from the poor treatment, so he ran, made it into Nigeria, turned himself in, and died after Nigeria also diagnosed him and isolated him.
I'm torn. I understand first hand the fear of being misdiagnosed or being in a medical facility that isn't safe or up to standards. Yet on the other hand, this isn't a break being passed off as a sprain. This is Ebola. If he felt that he was not receiving accurate care, then I much rather him be calling on his embassy or finding an alternative to just jumping quarantine and running away.
I don't think we should be beating the dead guy, but this should be a move to get other governments to try and put in communications for their people who are overseas and need help.
"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - AszurDouble post for clarity:
According to this, men can carry the Ebola virus in their semen for 7 weeks.
"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - AszurPrimary contact breaks quarantine, escapes from Lagos to Enugu before being caught.
...Dammit.
I've got the actual article
if anyone's interested.
edited 14th Aug '14 10:57:44 AM by Pyrite
Not a substitute for a formal medical consultation.Well, this just in (or at least, in the last 24h): Singapore dodged a bullet.
Or so I hope. If it had fit the suspected case criteria, I think we'd have been caught flat-footed.
edited 14th Aug '14 11:11:48 AM by Pyrite
Not a substitute for a formal medical consultation.Ebola Outbreak’s Patient Zero Identified As A Toddler From Guinea

Great more reason to stay at home.
Bad topper. Better add more.
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/aug/12/ebola-liberia-says-experimental-drug-on-the-way-from-us
I hope it works. Not that they have time to worry about that.
edited 12th Aug '14 6:03:41 AM by batter