First Ebola patient in the U.S.

[Nielk]

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/10/01/health/ebola-us/index.html

Thomas Eric Duncan is the man being treated at a Dallas, Texas, hospital for Ebola, his half-brother, Wilfred Smallwood, told CNN's Danielle Garcia. Duncan is the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the United States.

After the man's diagnosis, the Obama administration is recirculating its guidance about how to respond to the virus, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters Wednesday. "In light of this incident," Earnest said, "the administration has taken the step of recirculating our guidance to law enforcement agencies that are responsible for securing the border, to those agencies that represent individuals who staff the airline industry and to medical professionals all across the country, to make sure people are aware there is an important protocol that should be implemented if an individual presents with symptoms that are consistent with Ebola."

CNN) -- Some school-age children have been in contact with the Ebola patient being treated in Dallas, Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Wednesday.

Five students at four different schools came into contact with the man, Dallas Superintendent Mike Miles added, but none has exhibited symptoms of the deadly virus. The children are being monitored at home, and the schools they attended remain open, Miles said. Between 12 and 18 people have been identified as having come in contact with the patient, who is the first to be diagnosed with Ebola in the United States, officials said.

They say that the most dangerous virus is the "fear" virus. Yet, still, are you concerned about this?

 

[alex3619]

Concerned, yes. Afraid, no. I do want to know where it was contracted.

The man, who had flown from Liberia to the United States about a week earlier, underwent basic blood tests, but not an Ebola screening, and was sent home with antibiotics, said Dr. Edward Goodman with Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital.

The medical professionals missed it.

Also of concern is the man himself. Suspecting he was ill, did he act to minimize contact with others? If not, was this because he was inadequately briefed? Everyone arriving via plane from anywhere should be given a leaflet in their own language which advises precautions if they start feeling ill.

 

[Nielk]

They say that he traveled from Liberia via Belgium and came here to visit family. If he was ignorant of Ebola, certainly his family should have been on alert?

In addition, they state here: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/01/us-health-ebola-usa-idUSKCN0HP2F720141001

The patient was evaluated initially last Friday and sent home from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital with antibiotics, a critical missed opportunity that could result in others being exposed to the virus, infectious disease experts said

The hospital should have been on high alert, especially knowing that he originated from Liberia. Yet, they sent him home with some antibiotics!

 

[Mary]

I read a very good article recently in the Scientific American (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ebola-doctor-reveals-how-infected-americans-were-cured/) which states that the principal reason for the high mortality from ebola is the lack of adequate health care in countries where it is most lethal. The article stated that many of the deaths could have been prevented with fluid and electrolyte monitoring and replacement and also with supplemental protein - pretty basic stuff here in the U.S. And it's not easy to contract - you have to be in direct contact with blood and bodily fluids.

 

[Soundthealarm21]

I'm less than 12 miles from the Ebola patient and i'm honestly not too worried about it.

The ambulance they brought him in has been put in quarantine, and unfortunately it was used for 48 hours after he was in it. He was in contact with the Liberian community while he was back. With children and adults. Don't have much more information than that.

 

[ahmo]

Here's Mike Adams' take on it. I never know how to evaluate his understanding of things. He believes it's a US bioweapon gone rogue.
http://www.naturalnews.com/047089_Ebola_pandemic_government_lies_disinformation.html

 

[*GG*]

I read a very good article recently in the Scientific American (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ebola-doctor-reveals-how-infected-americans-were-cured/) which states that the principal reason for the high mortality from ebola is the lack of adequate health care in countries where it is most lethal. The article stated that many of the deaths could have been prevented with fluid and electrolyte monitoring and replacement and also with supplemental protein - pretty basic stuff here in the U.S. And it's not easy to contract - you have to be in direct contact with blood and bodily fluids.

Hmm, think it is also spread from blood and bodily fluids after the person is dead!

GG

 

[ahmo]

Hmm, think it is also spread from blood and bodily fluids after the person is dead!

As I said above, I never know whether Mike Adams is something of a fear merchant or ahead of the curve. I'd love to hear what others think of him. Here's what he says re transmission:

In truth, Ebola can spread through the air over short distances via aerosols - airborne particles.

Ebola can also spread via contaminated surfaces. When an infected patient makes contact with a surface such as a doorknob or ATM keypad, they may leave behind the Ebola virus which survives for many minutes or hours in the open, depending on environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, etc.) Another person who touches the same surface may then become instantly infected by simply touching their own eyes, nose or mouth.

The ability of Ebola to spread via contaminated surfaces is why victims in Africa have become infected by riding in taxi cabs. This also means any form of public transportation -- airplanes, ambulances, subways -- may harbor the virus and accelerate the spread of an outbreak.

Like all viruses, Ebola is destroyed by sunlight. But it can remain viable for a surprisingly long time in environments where sunlight never reaches -- such as underground subways, which are the perfect breeding grounds for viral transmission.

 

[adreno]

As I said above, I never know whether Mike Adams is something of a fear merchant or ahead of the curve. I'd love to hear what others think of him. Here's what he says re transmission:

The man is clueless; his site is full of misinformation and sensationalist claims without any supporting evidence:

David Gorski of ScienceBlogs called the site "one of the most wretched hives of scum and quackery on the Internet," and the most "blatant purveyor of the worst kind of quackery and paranoid anti-physician and anti-medicine conspiracy theories anywhere on the Internet".[25] Peter Bowditch of the website Ratbags,[26] and Jeff McMahon writing for Forbes commented about the site.[27]Steven Novella of NeuroLogica Blog called NaturalNews "a crank alt med site that promotes every sort of medical nonsense imaginable. If it is unscientific, antiscientific, conspiracy-mongering, or downright silly, Mike Adams appears to be all for it – whatever sells the "natural" products he hawks on his site."[6]

Ebola does not spread via aerosols. That's the very definition of being airborne.

Kobinger’s current research demonstrated that infected macaques were unable to transmit the virus to uninfected macaques without direct contact. The study used the species responsible for the current epidemic of 1,700+ human infections. The two groups of primates were near enough where aerosols could have spread the virus through the air, but they were not able to touch. While the infected macaques died in under a week, the other two never contracted the virus.

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/study-confirms-ebola-not-transmitted-through-air

 

[ahmo]

@adreno thanks.

 

[IreneF]

The Liberian gov't is prosecuting the Ebola patient because he lied about being exposed to people with the disease:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ent-thomas-duncan-airport-screening/16591753/

 

[Soundthealarm21]

The more I read through that natural news article, and even worse the comments, the more I want to bash my head through a wall. The amount of misinformation and just completely false information is insane.

I question myself, "do people actually believe this crap?" and then I go look at the comments and realize that there is a huge portion of people that do. Colloidal silver vs. Ebola? Holy crap.

Rant over.

 

[Butydoc]

Concerned, yes. Afraid, no. I do want to know where it was contracted.



The medical professionals missed it.

Also of concern is the man himself. Suspecting he was ill, did he act to minimize contact with others? If not, was this because he was inadequately briefed? Everyone arriving via plane from anywhere should be given a leaflet in their own language which advises precautions if they start feeling ill.

Hi Alex3619,

I also feel the medical profession blew it. One of my concerns is how the medical community claims that there is nothing to worry about being infected by someone unless they are sick or have fever. Does that mean one hour before fever appears one cannot transmit the virus? I'm also concerned about the prolonged incubation period and the ability of people to simple lie about their contact with potentially infected people, then board an airplane asymptomatic while still in the window of the incubation period. I suspect we will see many cases of Ebola caused by exactly the senario stated above.

Best,
Gsry

 

[Daffodil]

I'm scared to death of this. No one I have spoken to cares about it at all. They think the media is hyping it. They are misinformed. The media downplays it because they are instructed to not incite panic.

If we get ebola with CFS, we don't have a chance.

It is pretty easily spread. It does not require sex or blood exchange.

It is in North America.

They are doing nothing to restrict travel, except quickly screening travelers.

It's spreading quickly. In West Africa, many of the bodies are not even burned - they are buried - so dogs are digging them up, eating them, and carrying/spreading the infection!

There are no good drugs and the ones that exist are in very short supply.

They give the meds to important people. They gave them to journalists and doctors but not the Dallas patient (they just applied for some med for him now, but he is already at death's door).

I hate to say this, but I think they would have acted faster if the Dallas patient were white and well-off.

I honestly do not understand how anyone can not be worried. I know I am biased cuz of what happened to me after EBV, but still...I think the risk is real.

I frequently see my local doctor, whose office is in a major downtown hospital here that specializes in infectious disease. He is the only one who will help with prescriptions, but pretty soon, I will not want to go to that hospital anymore.

I never used to be worried about this stuff, but now I know how it works - how they tell you nothing until its too late...how they let you die and do nothing.

 

[adreno]

Ebola is not a respiratory virus like SARS or swine flu, but a blood virus more akin to HIV or Hepatitis. You would have to be in very close physical contact with a diseased person to get infected. I think it's right to be concerned, but not panicky about this.

And you think the media downplays this @Daffodil ? On the contrary, they will milk it for every bit of alarmist hype they can...

 

[taniaaust1]

With my Aspergers, I develop "special interests" (these help calm me/distractd me from all the issues my ME is causing).. my current special interest is Ebola so I have been following for months now the news on this and researching it (Im as up to date with the Ebola stuff as my knowledge is on ME) . I can say you should be very scared.

Heres some things youi may not know

- In the WHO (I think it was) protocals I read for health workers dealing with Ebola patients.. it actually says in that stuff I read recommends keeping 50FT away from an Ebola person if you are not wearing PPE (personal protective equipment). (seeing that staying 50ft written hidden away in their recommendations was enough to scare me!)

- Many animals can carry Ebola not just monkeys and bats (for those in Australia the species of bat which carries Ebola actually has its range going over our tropics and across top of Australia if you see this on a map). These bats are over quite a wide section of the world including india.

Dogs can carry Ebola (asymptomatically). A type of rodent has been known to natually get Ebola. The countries which are having the big outbreaks are probably screwed as its very very likely to have got into an animal source there by now so even if they get it under control (which is highly doubtful), it is likely to break out throu the animals in future.

- As ButyDoc stated, it is very likely to be transmitted BEFORE symptoms start to show, I think all other viruses can be so why would this one be different? and its not likely they would of done good human studies on this yet!. I certainly wouldnt want to kiss a person carrying Ebola 24hrs before they got symptoms. The exact time a person becames contagious is not known.

- Ebola is spread by body fluids, this can include "droplets" eg coughing and sneezing can spread it. It isnt called "airbourne" as it doesnt float around in the air for long periods (people tend to wrongly assume then it cant be spread by coughing.. If you are on a plane and an Ebola person coughs on you while walking down an asle, you are in trouble!).

- This virus is HIGHLY contagious (it doesnt need to be airbourne to be this). With this virus all you need is ONE virus particle to be infected, with other viruses one usually tends to need more then this. (Ebola is known as a class 4 I think it was bioweapon).

- Sweat can spread it.. what do sick people with temperatures do? they sweat. People who have Ebola are covered with viral particles.. they contaminate ANYTHING they touch (you do not want someone with Ebola in the supermarket, picking up, trying to work out what piece of fruit they are about to take home). These particles are so small they can enter into the skin (hence why those treating these people do not leave any skin exposed).

A person who nursed the latest American Ebola person (she would have viral particles from that,over her hands/clothes.. or did she think ot wash her hands and change before she left? I think probably not), took a trip to Walmart to buy him a blanket.. just before he was picked up and put into isolation. From her own hands, clothes she could of left Ebola there, contaminating the shop.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...d51488-4a5f-11e4-891d-713f052086a0_story.html.

- Another scarier to me possible form of spread as the authorities are taking a huge risk right here now with this is semen. It is thought by many that recovered Ebola males can be carrying Ebola in their semen for up to 7? weeks.

so Im thinking of these males as like ebola incubators with it just sitting there awaiting possible spread. Those they took back to America and recovered, have been all told not to have sex for quite a long time (Ive forgot now how long). The authorities are just trusting these males they allow back into the community, to do the right thing with this. (Can we really trust all males to do sex avoidence for long period after recovery?

What if they wank off and get it on the toilet seat with other family members using that toilet?). We all know how well AIDS was controlled!

- One study found that Ebola can survive on a surface for up to 50 days if its cold (I think it was in a refrigerated environment.

- For every 1 Ebola person, 2 health workers are needed (I got that from a the WHO statement or a Doctors without Borders statement on the health workers needed to man an ebola centre). (workers can only work for a short time in those protective suits, they get very hot). Some of those survivors need to be cared for for many weeks. Consider how many people are being affected per day and you will see there is NO WAY they can isolate these in centres and look after them with medical personal.

Even the American governments promise of training up to 500 health workers per week to deal with this wont be able to do it if you go by the numbers! (and where are they going to get all those workers from?). Without FAR MORE world wide help as far as people actually helping, they wont be able to get a grip on this.

 

[ahmo]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/04/ebola-zaire-peter-piot-outbreak
'In 1976 I discovered Ebola - now I fear an unimaginable tragedy'
4 Oct 2014: Peter Piot was a researcher at a lab in Antwerp when a pilot brought him a blood sample from a Belgian nun who had fallen mysteriously ill in Zaire...

FWIW, here's the Guardian's page of Ebola stories. The only one I've read is the one linked above.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/ebola

 

[taniaaust1]

Another fact is the media in many countries has been trained in how to report this and told they shouldnt say certain things. I read an actual article on the training being given to reporters in the affected countries and of how they were being restricted, I know this occured in at least 2 countries (this training took place about 2 weeks ago.. if my memory is serving me correctly it was done by the WHO.. the lectures done where on "responsible reporting" and not fear mongering).

Since this training took place, Ive noticed they are now reporting far less in places I was previously getting my news on this from and also Ive noticed since then, worldwide they are reporting suspected cases far less and when they do they do not give out the kind of details they were before

eg before this time, when a suspected case was reported elsewhere in the world, we were immediately being given details such as *where the person had flown from eg Nigeria, Liberia, where they were being taken too and also details on what symptoms the person was actually showing!! eg fever, abdominal pain, vomiting. Now we are lucky to be given any of that info in a news story almost right away.. this kind of info is being withheld as long as possible. Now the news stories usually go the person was showing "symptoms" of possible Ebola.

This brings me to something else which I noticed in past12 hrs. News broke out .. eg reuters and it was on Israel national news among other places, it was being reported online for about an hour at various places that that American guy has died (I was reading articles on it).. an hour later all these news stories were removed!!!

The fact there hasnt been new reports appologising saying these news places, national news made an error.. well I think the stories being pulled and then nothing being said about the fact they were there, is saying a lot!! Silence can say as much as words.

Some other news places have since reported he's on life support. Well from what Ive see with the pulled news stories,I believe he's dead and they are hiding it not to cause panic for as long as they can. They can pull the life support and declare him dead now when they are ready to do so. I guess they want to do a very thought over statement when they report the death of this very important case. (I wonder who will be the big authority figure to announce America failed to save this guy will be?)

 

[taniaaust1]

Its now outbroken in another country now too. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29516882

Spain screwed up with the priest they retrieved who later died.. a health worker who was wearing full personal protective equipment while treating the other in Spain that they brought back, now has tested positive twice to Ebola there. This worker was following all the current recommended the WHO procedures..

Anyway, they couldnt treat only 2 priests using the recommended procedures, without causing an outbreak in their own country.


Many of the ones in places like Liberia, ones from other countries who have got infected weaing full protective equipment, most have stated that they must of got infected elsewhere but that certainly couldnt have been the case in Spain.

The Ebola is so contagious, its going to spread like crazy.

The WHO tells countries to keep borders open and planes flying out form infected countries. They are responsible for it going out of control in the first place when they ignored what Doctors Without Borders were saying back in March and about them needing help to deal with it. (there was actually a public online tiff between the two orgs over this with Doctors without Borders slamming The WHO to do something!!).
..........

Oh and the WHO has once again abandoned its own lab due to one of its own workers being affected. It has abandoned its Ebola lab in Sierre Leone this week. (It abandoned another of its labs only 2-3 weeks ago when another of its workers got infected). .

 

[taniaaust1]

Ebola is not a respiratory virus like SARS or swine flu, but a blood virus more akin to HIV or Hepatitis. You would have to be in very close physical contact with a diseased person to get infected. I think it's right to be concerned, but not panicky about this.

And you think the media downplays this @Daffodil ? On the contrary, they will milk it for every bit of alarmist hype they can...

AIDS cant be spread by a touch or by cough droplets or by sweat!! People keep refering to it being spread like AIDS but its far from the truth. .. AIDS is only spread by blood!