Ebola outbreak, and other potential epidemics

UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 18 Sep 2014, 09:43

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/faq-ebola/en/

People are infectious as long as their blood and secretions contain the virus. For this reason, infected patients receive close monitoring from medical professionals and receive laboratory tests to ensure the virus is no longer circulating in their systems before they return home. When the medical professionals determine it is okay for the patient to return home, they are no longer infectious and cannot infect anyone else in their communities. Men who have recovered from the illness can still spread the virus to their partner through their semen for up to 7 weeks after recovery. For this reason, it is important for men to avoid sexual intercourse for at least 7 weeks after recovery or to wear condoms if having sexual intercourse during 7 weeks after recovery.

Doesn't directly answer your question, but one might assume that a person is infectious by the time they are showing any symptoms at all, and probably for a small period before that.

snow hope · Post by **snow hope** » 18 Sep 2014, 10:13

Thanks UE. Further down that link, it states,

"The incubation period, or the time interval from infection to onset of symptoms, is from 2 to 21 days. The patients become contagious once they begin to show symptoms. They are not contagious during the incubation period. "

I have my answer. So the big issue as regards to the spread of the virus is the potential length of time from infection to onset of symptoms.

Post by **adam2** » 18 Sep 2014, 10:46

Remember that this is the first large outbreak of a disease still new to science, and that information may not be completely accurate.
Whilst it appears that those infected but not yet showing symptoms are not able to infect others, it seems unwise to count on this.

Likewise the stated incubation period may later be found inaccurate.

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 18 Sep 2014, 15:41

Medical team missing after being attacked by locals in Guinea. They are variously accused of spreading lies about a non-existing disease or spreading the disease itself by spraying disinfectant. Sounds like panic and denial in the local community, shooting the messenger.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29256443

Post by **adam2** » 18 Sep 2014, 21:19

Ebola now a "threat to world security" according to UN.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29262968

UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 18 Sep 2014, 23:36

PS_RalphW wrote:Medical team missing after being attacked by locals in Guinea. They are variously accused of spreading lies about a non-existing disease or spreading the disease itself by spraying disinfectant. Sounds like panic and denial in the local community, shooting the messenger.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29256443

I thought the story of an armed gang breaking into an isolation ward, "liberating" the inhabitants and stealing infected sheets could not be beaten. Sadly it has been, and by a country mile. It's considerably worse than just shooting the messenger.

Ebola 8 Homo sapiens 0

UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 18 Sep 2014, 23:38

adam2 wrote:Ebola now a "threat to world security" according to UN.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29262968

This is heading for a situation where troops are stationed along the borders with infected countries, and ordered to shoot to kill anyone who gets anywhere near crossing.

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 19 Sep 2014, 09:16

medical team murdered

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... ing-guinea

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 19 Sep 2014, 11:50

PS_RalphW wrote:medical team murdered

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... ing-guinea

Now we know what the 3000 US troops are for.

UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 19 Sep 2014, 12:17

vtsnowedin wrote:
PS_RalphW wrote:medical team murdered

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... ing-guinea

Now we know what the 3000 US troops are for.

I seriously suspect they will end up on the borders of the three worst affected countries, and ordered to shoot anybody who tries to get out.

jonny2mad · Post by **jonny2mad** » 19 Sep 2014, 20:17

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/ebola-cri ... -1.2741407 liberia police use live rounds on people trying to break out of quarantine

UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 19 Sep 2014, 21:19

Yep, that's been coming. Expect more of it.

UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 22 Sep 2014, 00:01

http://news.sky.com/story/1339751/ebola ... erra-leone

Ninety-two bodies and at least 56 new infections have been discovered in Sierra Leone during a nationwide ebola lockdown.

Post by **adam2** » 22 Sep 2014, 09:20

And presumably if the 92 bodies were available to be found, they had not been promptly deeply buried or effectively cremated as is strongly advised.

How many people had been infected by the dead bodies prior to proper disposal ?

Mean Mr Mustard · Post by **Mean Mr Mustard** » 22 Sep 2014, 16:03

It gets worse. Post quarantine knees-up...?

The emergency measures came to an end with singing and dancing in the streets on Sunday as people celebrated temporary freedom from the restrictions.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 48181.html