Ebola outbreak, and other potential epidemics

[Little John]

Agreed. Indeed, killing the dog for show is worse than pointless. It's stupid since, as long as it is alive, it is possible to take blood samples to test for the existence of the virus and, if it is present, observe the dog for evidence of symptoms, check it's secretions for the presence of the virus etc. On the other hand, if no virus is present the dog, then the issue can be put firmly to bed.

[PS_RalphW]

The dog is dead.

[Little John]

Yep, just heard they put it down to "stop the spread of the disease". This means that either they already know that dogs can spread the disease, but are only making this indirectly known to the rest of us by putting this dog down. Or, they have no idea whether or not dogs can contract and/or transmit the disease. In which case, by putting the dog down, they have lost a golden early opportunity to test such a hypothesis in favour of a big-gesture political stunt and they are a bunch of f***ing idiots.

In short, liars, idiots or both.

[jonny2mad]

I would agree it was silly to kill the dog but I think to a degree its a distraction even if the dog doesnt have ebola doesnt mean that dogs can't be a vector you would need more than this one dog .

Its a distraction in that we still have west africans some with ebola travelling, when ebola gets to india or mexico or anywhere full of shanty towns your going to get carriers everywhere .

Actually I think its unlikely we will be able to stop it spreading worldwide because we have left it too late. Those 300,000 people should have been trying to stop international flights I'm on two facebook pages about stop flights because of ebola they have a couple of hundred supporters, if they were talking about shooting a kitten instead of risking billions of deaths likely they would have more support.

If we have a really bad pandemic one would hope that people will see the real reason its effected us but I don't even think a pandemic will be able to overcome how dumb we are .

[jonny2mad]

you may have a good point nexus

[PS_RalphW]

Airliner cleaners go on strike at new York on fear that Ebola victims may have contaminated aircraft. I think this is an indicator of how fast things would fall apart if Ebola did break out.

[snow hope]

Agreed, the potential for systemic and thus economic breakdown is mind-blowing. This could unravel very fast

[UndercoverElephant]

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-ne ... erra-leone

Possible case in Australia.

[UndercoverElephant]

Airliner cleaners go on strike at new York on fear that Ebola victims may have contaminated aircraft. I think this is an indicator of how fast things would fall apart if Ebola did break out.

At the very least it shows the depth of mistrust ordinary people have in the (IMO inexplicable) decision of the authorities not to suspend air travel to these three countries. I was already having trouble understanding it two weeks ago, but the rate this whole thing is visibly spiralling out of control now - both in West Africa and the pantomimes going on in both the US and Spain - make it even more astonishing. The infection rate in Sierra Leone and Liberia is now absolutely guaranteed to get much higher, and all sorts of people are going to try to get out - including some who suspect they may be infected and don't fancy their chances in their home country. Anyone in that position who also has the money to afford an air fare to a western country is going to do it, aren't they? I know I would.

I am pretty sure that a complete travel ban will eventually be put in place, but it seems the authorities are absolutely determined to not do what is necessary until it is too late.

[UndercoverElephant]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... uncan.html

Texas deputy showing Ebola symptoms was sent into patient zero's apartment WITHOUT protection but started growing concerned when his squad car and his uniform were quarantined

Dallas County Sheriff Deputy Michael Monnig went to an urgent care clinic in Frisco, Texas with his wife on Wednesday

A witness at the clinic described him as 'hunched over and flushed'

The deputy was inside the apartment where Ebola patient Thomas Duncan fell ill - the officer wasn't wearing protective clothing

The CDC said the person is not one of the 48 contacts being monitored

So even though they quarantined his car and uniform, they didn't monitor him for symptoms and he ended up at a public clinic, displaying symptoms and therefore infectious.

What a bunch of idiots.

[adam2]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... uncan.html

Texas deputy showing Ebola symptoms was sent into patient zero's apartment WITHOUT protection but started growing concerned when his squad car and his uniform were quarantined
Dallas County Sheriff Deputy Michael Monnig went to an urgent care clinic in Frisco, Texas with his wife on Wednesday
A witness at the clinic described him as 'hunched over and flushed'
The deputy was inside the apartment where Ebola patient Thomas Duncan fell ill - the officer wasn't wearing protective clothing
The CDC said the person is not one of the 48 contacts being monitored

So even though they quarantined his car and uniform, they didn't monitor him for symptoms and he ended up at a public clinic, displaying symptoms and therefore infectious.
What a bunch of idiots.

Agree, they must have known that the policeman had been potentially exposed, so it seems astonishing that he was not put in isolation.
So now the immediate family and other close contacts of the officer must be at significant risk, and those with whom he had any contact may be at some risk.

[snow hope]

It seems like the majority of people in this world are keen to spread this disease as fast and as wide as possible.... I just can't understand why and how many obvious mistakes are being made in practically every case that is occurring outside West Africa. grrrrr

[Mean Mr Mustard]

The Australia case appears better managed, in that the nurse followed protocol and intentionally stayed indoors on arrival.

The problem appears to be the ignorant propaganda happy talk of how jolly hard it is to transmit the virus - nothing to see here - move along - when the exact reverse approach is needed. Lock down everyone involved, even if slightly suspected of exposure... Spend three weeks at home - with your family too - on us! If contact tracking in Dallas overlooked the cop, (but not his car?) then it seems likely there may be others out there - perhaps the unprotected power-washer dudes...?

From my days as a disaster planner, one immovable object in the 2009 Bird Flu scare was top-down draconian HR policy on sick absence, which admonished staff who might 'pull a sickie'. Slackers all! By the time such suspicion and contempt for those subjected to the open plan office is finally reconsidered for the folly it is, it will be too damn late.

On the bigger picture, we urgently need to close down the air links from West Africa, and mount a Berlin Airlift - then some - a massive inward supply operation of food and supplies to help the population there. The USAF do have a fair number of C-17s...? And any people leaving the hot zone surely must be quarantined for three weeks - in isolation - before being allowed to leave.

[kenneal - lagger]

............ And any people leaving the hot zone surely must be quarantined for three weeks - in isolation - before being allowed to leave.

That would have to be supervised by Westerners. Too much opportunity for backhanders there to trust the local governments to supervise it!

[Mean Mr Mustard]

............ And any people leaving the hot zone surely must be quarantined for three weeks - in isolation - before being allowed to leave.

That would have to be supervised by Westerners. Too much opportunity for backhanders there to trust the local governments to supervise it!

Perhaps G4S or Serco could be relied on for any such contract? As you rightly observe, it would need expertise and integrity. Even if only on a temporary basis. Might need a few ads in the job centres.