Ebola outbreak in West Africa difficult to contain

[Scott]

Ebola outbreak in West Africa difficult to contain

Deep in the forests of southern Guinea, the first victims fell ill with high fevers. People assumed it was the perennial killer malaria and had no reason to fear touching the bodies, as is the custom in traditional funerals.

 

Some desperate relatives brought their loved ones to the distant capital in search of better medical care, unknowingly spreading what ultimately was discovered to be Ebola, one of the world's most deadly diseases.

 

Ebola, a hemorrhagic fever that can cause its victims to bleed from the ears and nose, had never before been seen in this part of West Africa where medical clinics are few and far between.

 

CBC News

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/ebola-outbreak-in-west-africa-difficult-to-contain-1.2706534

[Scott]

Games Ebola safeguards stepped up

 

Tom Gordon

Scottish Political Editor

Sunday 13 July 2014

HEALTH experts have stepped up efforts against the deadly Ebola virus arriving in Scotland with the Commonwealth Games, amid a worsening outbreak in one of the competitor countries.

 

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Health Protection Scotland have instituted "daily monitoring" of the disease as it spreads through west Africa and established links with international medical colleagues in case infection arrives.

 

Sierra Leone is expected to send 28 athletes and eight officials to Glasgow this month. The country is in the grip of Africa's biggest outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD), which kills up to 90% of those infected, and which has no known cure of vaccine.

 

 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/commonwealth-games/cwg-news/games-ebola-safeguards-stepped-up.24728113

 

[Scott]

That could be a big problem is the virus makes it way to the Commonwealth Games.  

[MJP]

Now this is a wee bit scary.

 

Turns out Ebola has a 2 to 21 day incubation period. 

 

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/

 

This is the biggest recorded outbreak. With global travel like it is, what's the chance of Ebola hitting a densely populated area?

[Scott]

It seems like it's a tropical disease.   I wonder if it would be of any major concern in a temperate climate -- Would cool weather kill it off?

[Scott]

Oh, and it is also sexually transmitted.   

[MJP]

Oh, and it is also sexually transmitted.   

 

Any direct exposure to an infected person. It's pretty grim this. Hemorrhagic fever, internal organs kind of get liquidized.

 

It's hit Freetown already.

[NeverSure]

"The rapid spread of the virus is largely due to people moving across borders as well as cultural practices that are contrary to public health guidelines, such as people touching the body of a deceased relative before the funeral."

 

LINK

 

Flame away. I think that country should be quarantined until this outbreak is over. World wide travel could spread it almost anywhere. Why send a bunch of them to Glasgow?

 

As I said, flame away.   

[MJP]

"The rapid spread of the virus is largely due to people moving across borders as well as cultural practices that are contrary to public health guidelines, such as people touching the body of a deceased relative before the funeral."

 

LINK

 

Flame away. I think that country should be quarantined until this outbreak is over. World wide travel could spread it almost anywhere. Why send a bunch of them to Glasgow?

 

As I said, flame away.   

 

Agreed, this is a terrifying virus, very contagious and if this hits a densely populated area it's pretty much all over.

[Gulfsailor]

"The rapid spread of the virus is largely due to people moving across borders as well as cultural practices that are contrary to public health guidelines, such as people touching the body of a deceased relative before the funeral."
 
LINK
 
Flame away. I think that country should be quarantined until this outbreak is over. World wide travel could spread it almost anywhere. Why send a bunch of them to Glasgow?
 
As I said, flame away.   

 
Agreed, this is a terrifying virus, very contagious and if this hits a densely populated area it's pretty much all over.

It's too deadly, quick and easy to kill to cause a pandemic. There have been several incidences in the West due to imported diseased primates, and it was quickly under control with only a few people dead. I'd worry more about a mutated SARS or MERS virus.

[MJP]

 

 

"The rapid spread of the virus is largely due to people moving across borders as well as cultural practices that are contrary to public health guidelines, such as people touching the body of a deceased relative before the funeral."
 
LINK
 
Flame away. I think that country should be quarantined until this outbreak is over. World wide travel could spread it almost anywhere. Why send a bunch of them to Glasgow?
 
As I said, flame away.   

 
Agreed, this is a terrifying virus, very contagious and if this hits a densely populated area it's pretty much all over.

It's too deadly, quick and easy to kill to cause a pandemic. There have been several incidences in the West due to imported diseased primates, and it was quickly under control with only a few people dead. I'd worry more about a mutated SARS or MERS virus.

 

 

It was before due to the geography, poverty and mobility. But an incubation period of 21 days may well be sufficient in an increasingly mobile World . . . risks of a pandemic are increasing.

[MJP]

Death toll from West Africa Ebola outbreak jumps to 603

 

http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/07/15/health-ebola-toll-idINL6N0PQ2ZW20140715

 

Speaking from Havana, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan called the outbreak the world's worst ever by number of cases, saying, "The situation is serious but not out of control yet."

Edited July 16, 2014 by MJP

[Soutpeel]

If anyone is interested in reading up and Ebola and Maresburg virus... a book called "the hot zone" is an excellent read... truely a frightening factual book

 

one of the things pointed out in the book was the spread of ebola worldwide will be quite limited and restricted to "hot zones" is because the virus is such an effiicent killer, and "burns out" pretty quickly becasue there is no one left to kill

 

The theory on the Ebola's origin, unlike some primate virus's, Ebola comes from bats

 

If memory serves there is a discussion about what would happen if the virus ever mutated got "airborne" like a flu virus..

[chiang mai]

It scares the poo out of me, I've been watching this for some weeks now and it certainly isn't getting any better.

[Soutpeel]

It scares the poo out of me, I've been watching this for some weeks now and it certainly isn't getting any better.

 

If this is scaring the poo out of you dont read the "hot zone" it will make all your innards fall out, which strangely enough is what Ebola does to you

[chiang mai]

 

It scares the poo out of me, I've been watching this for some weeks now and it certainly isn't getting any better.

 

If this is scaring the poo out of you dont read the "hot zone" it will make all your innards fall out, which strangely enough is what Ebola does to you

 

 

Thanks for that, made my day it has, I'm off right now to find a copy followed by a trip to the airport to book a flight to Kinshasa for my annual hols.

[MJP]

WHO can't fully deal with Ebola outbreak, health official warns

 

http://www.latimes.com/world/africa/la-fg-who-ebola-20140718-story.html

 

Fukuda also expressed concern about his organization's ability to respond to simultaneous, multiple outbreaks around the world. "I think the answer is fairly clear," Fukuda said. "I don't think we're quite ready. We're not adequately set up or prepared to deal with those things."

 

Edited July 20, 2014 by MJP

[Asiantravel]

First Ebola victim in Sierra Leone capital on the run

 

 

(Reuters) - Sierra Leone officials appealed for help on Friday to trace the first known resident in the capital with Ebola whose family forcibly removed her from a Freetown hospital after testing positive for the deadly disease.

Radio stations in Freetown, a city of around 1 million inhabitants, broadcast the appeal on Friday to locate a woman who tested positive for the disease that has killed 660 people across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone since an outbreak was first identified in February.

 

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/25/us-health-ebola-africa-idUSKBN0FU1DB20140725

 

Edited July 26, 2014 by Asiantravel

[Asiantravel]

It seems like it's a tropical disease.   I wonder if it would be of any major concern in a temperate climate -- Would cool weather kill it off?

 

But the Reston virus which is a new strain of the Ebola virus broke out in Reston, Virginia USA in 1990 because this thing is mutating all the time. I don't think it would be fair to say that the Ebola virus could not survive in a temperate climate.

 

 

 

[MJP]

Nigeria 'placed on red alert' over Ebola death

 

Nigeria says it has put all entries into the country on red alert after confirming the death of a Liberian man who was carrying the Ebola virus.

The man died after arriving at Lagos airport on Tuesday, in the first Ebola case in Africa's most populous country.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28498665

 

 

This should be the World's top priority right now.

Edited July 26, 2014 by MJP

[Asiantravel]

Nigeria 'placed on red alert' over Ebola death

 

Nigeria says it has put all entries into the country on red alert after confirming the death of a Liberian man who was carrying the Ebola virus.

The man died after arriving at Lagos airport on Tuesday, in the first Ebola case in Africa's most populous country.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28498665

 

 

This should be the World's top priority right now.

 

Recent Ebola growth rate: Word health organisation 

 

2 months ago - 170 people

 

1 month ago - 337 people

 

24 days ago - 759 people

 

More recent stats are contradictory but growing rapidly. Statistics in the countryside are underreported.

 

Incubation is 3 to 21 days 

 

 

[MJP]

 

Nigeria 'placed on red alert' over Ebola death

 

Nigeria says it has put all entries into the country on red alert after confirming the death of a Liberian man who was carrying the Ebola virus.

The man died after arriving at Lagos airport on Tuesday, in the first Ebola case in Africa's most populous country.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28498665

 

 

This should be the World's top priority right now.

 

Recent Ebola growth rate: Word health organisation 

 

2 months ago - 170 people

 

1 month ago - 337 people

 

24 days ago - 759 people

 

More recent stats are contradictory but growing rapidly. Statistics in the countryside are underreported.

 

Incubation is 3 to 21 days 

 

 

 

 

GP's in the UK have been briefed on Ebola and asked to look out for it.

 

http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/2014/07/uk-gps-asked-to-be-on-alert-for-ebola.html

 

I remember a Nigerian friend who lived in London saying, "we call London little Nigeria, because so many Nigerians live there".

 

(That's not a racial slur before anyone starts, just a mention of how small the World is now)
 

[zydeco]

Nigeria 'placed on red alert' over Ebola death

 

Nigeria says it has put all entries into the country on red alert after confirming the death of a Liberian man who was carrying the Ebola virus.

The man died after arriving at Lagos airport on Tuesday, in the first Ebola case in Africa's most populous country.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28498665

 

 

This should be the World's top priority right now.

 

If it spread in Lagos, then it's all over for that area of Africa.  The lack of sanitary conditions, huge population, dense living conditions, corrupt government services.  Maybe Thai immigration ought to tighten things even more than they are during this recent crackdown.  No flights where any passenger originates in West Africa.

[F430murci]

It seems like it's a tropical disease.   I wonder if it would be of any major concern in a temperate climate -- Would cool weather kill it off?

 
But the Reston virus which is a new strain of the Ebola virus broke out in Reston, Virginia USA in 1990 because this thing is mutating all the time. I don't think it would be fair to say that the Ebola virus could not survive in a temperate climate.
 
 
 

Reston issue arose when a monkey infected with Ebola was imported from the Phillipines. I don't think it ever turned into hemorrhagic fever for any humans that came into contact with it in Virginia. I believe that the Reston strain is deadly to primates, but not humans.

The Reston strain also appears to be still in the Philippines, but appeared not to survive in Virgina after initial contact with the infected primate from the Phillipines. Perhaps climate or containment, that strain did not survive or last in Virginia.

The other 4 strains are the deadly strains to humans. Has the Reston strain ever caused death to any human even in the Phillipines?

[Asiantravel]

 

 

It seems like it's a tropical disease.   I wonder if it would be of any major concern in a temperate climate -- Would cool weather kill it off?

 
But the Reston virus which is a new strain of the Ebola virus broke out in Reston, Virginia USA in 1990 because this thing is mutating all the time. I don't think it would be fair to say that the Ebola virus could not survive in a temperate climate.
 
 
 

Reston issue arose when a monkey infected with Ebola was imported from the Phillipines. I don't think it ever turned into hemorrhagic fever for any humans that came into contact with it in Virginia. I believe that the Reston strain is deadly to primates, but not humans.

The Reston strain also appears to be still in the Philippines, but appeared not to survive in Virgina after initial contact with the infected primate from the Phillipines. Perhaps climate or containment, that strain did not survive or last in Virginia.

The other 4 strains are the deadly strains to humans. Has the Reston strain ever caused death to any human even in the Phillipines?

 

 

 Actually the purpose of me posting the information about the Reston virus was with relation to Scot's question about climatic conditions.  My point being, if the Reston virus can survive in USA then the Ebola virus should also be able to survive?

I have seen no references anywhere that it is unable to thrive in a cooler climate?

 

 

 With regards to the Philippines :-

 

" Here’s another one for authorities grappling with our national security situation: a new outbreak of the deadly  ebola reston virus in Philippine pigs that can mutate and infect humans."

 

 

http://midfield.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/the-deadly-ebola-reston-virus-in-philippine-pigs-strikes-again/

Edited July 26, 2014 by Asiantravel

[F430murci]

 

 

It seems like it's a tropical disease.   I wonder if it would be of any major concern in a temperate climate -- Would cool weather kill it off?

 
But the Reston virus which is a new strain of the Ebola virus broke out in Reston, Virginia USA in 1990 because this thing is mutating all the time. I don't think it would be fair to say that the Ebola virus could not survive in a temperate climate.
 
 
 

Reston issue arose when a monkey infected with Ebola was imported from the Phillipines. I don't think it ever turned into hemorrhagic fever for any humans that came into contact with it in Virginia. I believe that the Reston strain is deadly to primates, but not humans.

The Reston strain also appears to be still in the Philippines, but appeared not to survive in Virgina after initial contact with the infected primate from the Phillipines. Perhaps climate or containment, that strain did not survive or last in Virginia.

The other 4 strains are the deadly strains to humans. Has the Reston strain ever caused death to any human even in the Phillipines?
 

 
" Heres another one for authorities grappling with our national security situation: a new outbreak of the deadly  ebola reston virus in Philippine pigs that can mutate and infect humans."
 
 
http://midfield.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/the-deadly-ebola-reston-virus-in-philippine-pigs-strikes-again/

Your article is a bit dated. Swine Ebola has been around since at least 2007 in Phillipines.

From your article, it appears Reston still impacts animals, but does not cause hemorrhagic fever in humans. Scott's observation may also be accurate or perhaps the common thread and transport mechanism is monkeys in Africa and Asia, but monkeys are not typically found in temperate Eurpoean like climates.

The risk in European countries is infected animals or people bringing virus in. Ebola is scarey, but I would tend to think certain Flu strains or MERs mutations would have a much better chance of reaching world epidemic stages.

Then we also had a recent outbreak of Bubonic in China. Overpopulation, living in filth and eating monkeys found dead in the forest pose risks. Actually, I think MRSA and superbugs are an even bigger concern at the present.

[Asiantravel]

 Anyone is interested in this topic should read The Hot Zone which covers the possibility that as these viruses are constantly mutating, there is always the danger it could transform into airborne transmission

 

 I agree with what Stephen King wrote about the book

 

The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story is a best-selling^[1] 1994 non-fiction thriller by Richard Preston about the origins and incidents involving viral hemorrhagic fevers, particularly ebolaviruses and marburgviruses. The basis of the book was Preston's 1992 New Yorker article "Crisis in the Hot Zone".

In his blurb, horror writer Stephen King called the book, "one of the most horrifying things I've ever read." When asked whether any book "scared the pants off you" television writer Suzanne Collins answered, "The Hot Zone, by Richard Preston. I just read it a few weeks ago. Still recovering."

 

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hot_Zone

[ukrules]

If anyone is interested in reading up and Ebola and Maresburg virus... a book called "the hot zone" is an excellent read... truely a frightening factual book

 

one of the things pointed out in the book was the spread of ebola worldwide will be quite limited and restricted to "hot zones" is because the virus is such an effiicent killer, and "burns out" pretty quickly becasue there is no one left to kill

 

The theory on the Ebola's origin, unlike some primate virus's, Ebola comes from bats

 

If memory serves there is a discussion about what would happen if the virus ever mutated got "airborne" like a flu virus..

 

Like you say it incapacitates and kills very quickly. In the past it's made people very ill and killed too quickly to ever become massive public health issue, let alone a worldwide problem. It was self limiting due to it's relatively inefficient way of spreading but this seems different to previous cases.

 

Has something changed with the current Ebola that's doing the rounds at the moment ?

 

I'm sure there's people in labs around the world urgently looking into this right now.

[Asiantravel]

Two Americans infected with deadly Ebola virus in West Africa

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/american-doctor-in-west-africa-contracts-deadly-ebola-virus/

[johna]

The important point about Ebola Reston was that it was airborne, infecting monkeys in different parts of quarantine facility in Reston, further at least 2 employees at that facility were hospitalized with flu like symptoms and Ebola anti bodies showed up in their blood, So the disease has shown its ability to quickly mutate.