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Ebola virus outbreak 'out of control'


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Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières, is the only relief organization treating suspected and confirmed cases of Ebola in West Africa, and the demand for assistance is exceeding their capacity. The organization's operations director is urging others to deploy additional resources.

MONROVIA, Liberia, June 23 (UPI) --The Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa "is out of control," according to Doctors Without Borders.

Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières, is treating those infected with the Ebola virus in West Africa. The need, however, is exceeding their capacity to respond.

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As a potential global pandemic Ebola doesn't worry me much unless it changes. The various varieties of bird flu still worry me much more. I'm hoping a general vaccine for all types of flu will be developed soon.

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...Since the epidemic began in March, WHO has reported 567 cases and 350 deaths from the virus.

Ouch ... 60% mortality rate. Thats probably higher than the mortality rate of being shot at by a gun.

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While it may be too virile to make it across to Europe, Asia etc. It is just virile enough to keep spreading in the African populaces. This is really sad, containing it should be a piece of cake, yet with all our resources globally no concerted effort is being made. People are dying needlessly.

Thats a trifle harsh isn't it ? What are "we" supposed to do ? Herd the infected into a concentration camp ? It is up to the host nations to do this, NOT "the West".

Make no mistake, we can sit back and claim it won't affect us but it will mutate. The human host is still relatively new to the virus, there will be adaptations that will linger without killing the host or showing symptons - that's how virus' evolve and survive.

Ultimately, we would hope that it will mutate into a completely benign form ... sort of like the Common Cold.

"I can't come into work today boss.... I've got Ebola..... "

Edited by RoofGardener
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Meh. I agree with our UM Stormtroopers. It's only poor brown people.

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The governments at hand have first line responsibility, and the typical attitudes of African governments are deplorable. They should be pressured and helped. Diseases can spread and mutate, so the world is wiser curbing them as quickly as they make an appearance.

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What a horrible way to die!! The news article does not mention which strain of Ebola this is, I wonder if it's a new one? All it would take is for it to have a longer 'gestation' (not sure if that's the right word) period, even just 4-5 days longer infection before any symptoms show up and this could be devastating!

Edited by bulveye
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Thats a trifle harsh isn't it ? What are "we" supposed to do ? Herd the infected into a concentration camp ? It is up to the host nations to do this, NOT "the West".

How is it harsh? We have the capacity through various organisations to deal with this. If we don't do anything, it will spread. It is only a matter of time before a refugee, or even a dozen refugees carry this over into Europe or Asia if it's left to rum amock amongst the African populace - will you wish we did something then?

Ultimately, we would hope that it will mutate into a completely benign form ... sort of like the Common Cold.

"I can't come into work today boss.... I've got Ebola..... "

That would be a huge leap, it is far more likely to mutate in increments that allow it to spread by not killing the host so quickly or remain dormant for longer before it starts its cycle in a host but the virulence won't jump down to Common Cold levels any time soon - has AIDS come down to common cold levels since it made it's way around the world?

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does not having enough doctors to send to sites the same as the virus being out of control?

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How is it harsh? We have the capacity through various organisations to deal with this. If we don't do anything, it will spread. It is only a matter of time before a refugee, or even a dozen refugees carry this over into Europe or Asia if it's left to rum amock amongst the African populace - will you wish we did something then?

That would be a huge leap, it is far more likely to mutate in increments that allow it to spread by not killing the host so quickly or remain dormant for longer before it starts its cycle in a host but the virulence won't jump down to Common Cold levels any time soon - has AIDS come down to common cold levels since it made it's way around the world?

It really is a terrifying virus. I was reading earlier that scientists believe that it passed from monkey to pigs via airborne droplets. Whats to stop it getting into birds and travelling vast distances and mutating. Once it hits an impoverished but densely populated area then it could spread as fast as the common cold IMO. There are currently 5 Ebola virus species known and there is nothing to say the most recent outbreak is not a new variant!! It has already killed more people then recorded in any other outbreak and this is when Dr's know what to look out for.

Read this for loads more info:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebola_virus_disease

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........ but the virulence won't jump down to Common Cold levels any time soon - has AIDS come down to common cold levels since it made it's way around the world?

Perhaps it already has, but nobody has noticed.

I mean, how WOULD you notice ?

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Perhaps it already has, but nobody has noticed.

I mean, how WOULD you notice ?

The main sympton of Ebola is hemorrhagic Fever, or at the very least some level of hemorrhaging taking place. That in itself is quite unique. Although the typical symptons are pretty similar to known ailments too. I guess it's possible, but not really likely that some form of it is in the general populace?

*edited out false info*

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

Edited by libstaK
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Yeah, but we where discussing "what if" the virus had mutated into something harmless, like the common cold ?

How would we ever KNOW it had happened ? Nobody goes to the doctors for a common cold, and if they DID the doctor is hardly going to take blood samples, hire time on an expensive electron microscope, and check for the 'shepards crook' virus particles, just on the off-chance.

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Ok so WHO is taking this seriously and have advised that "Drastic Action" is required to stop this epidemic

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/26/health/ebola-outbreak-west-africa/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

excerpts:

"There have been at least 600 cases and 390 deaths in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, according to a WHO statement released Thursday. That's since the epidemic began in March."

"Ebola outbreaks usually are confined to remote areas, making the disease easier to contain. But this outbreak is different; patients have been identified in 60 locations in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia."

"People are traveling without realizing they're carrying the deadly virus. It can take between two and 21 days after exposure for someone to feel sick."

"Ebola typically kills 90% of patients. This outbreak, the death rate has dropped to roughly 60%."

.........................................

Up to 21 days incubation and the first symptons are "typically flu like". Add to this the fact that 3 major cities and at least one International Airport are within the vicinties of the outbreaks and this is shaping up to be a right mess, thank God they are upping the ante on containing the outbreak, lets hope they succeed.

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When cases start appearing in international destinations we will see a huge reaction. Just goes to demonstrate a point I just made on another thread that we are all on the same planet and things are such now that we cannot ignore what goes on elsewhere, we all succeed or fail together.

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When cases start appearing in international destinations we will see a huge reaction. Just goes to demonstrate a point I just made on another thread that we are all on the same planet and things are such now that we cannot ignore what goes on elsewhere, we all succeed or fail together.

I am not sure if the context is comparable but I do agree that it is ridiculous to allow something like this to run amock. Here is an article from back in April this year that

is linked to the "link" I provided, which I found very informative and disturbing.

"We're aliens in Ebola's world".

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/16/health/gupta-ebola-ward/

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In case anyone cares, ebola is also wiping out the chimp and gorilla populations. Ironically, recent animal welfare successes have closed down all but one chimp lab in the U.S. There is a vaccine for ebola but "The vaccine trial that we just did might be the last conservation trial on a chimp, because if those labs close down there isn't anywhere else that has the proper facilities to do a vaccine trial," Dr Walsh tells BBC News."

http://www.bbc.com/n...onment-27896589

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When cases start appearing in international destinations we will see a huge reaction. Just goes to demonstrate a point I just made on another thread that we are all on the same planet and things are such now that we cannot ignore what goes on elsewhere, we all succeed or fail together.

Too true, I just can't see it happening anytime soon, so much hatred in this world for those who are different.

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While it may be too virile to make it across to Europe, Asia etc. It is just virile enough to keep spreading in the African populaces. This is really sad, containing it should be a piece of cake, yet with all our resources globally no concerted effort is being made. People are dying needlessly.

Make no mistake, we can sit back and claim it won't affect us but it will mutate. The human host is still relatively new to the virus, there will be adaptations that will linger without killing the host or showing symptons - that's how virus' evolve and survive.

I am by no means a microbiologist, in fact I am admittedly rather ignorant of said field. But it is my understanding that part of the issue is that it takes ~10 days before symptoms materialize and at that time patients are scattered all over the place. Secondly, if you have ever worked in Africa, well isolating people is not as easy as one might think it is in a well organized society.

This is a really scary virus in my honest (and uneducated) opinion and one of the reasons as I understand it is that it mutates so fast. What if it mutates into something just as deadly, yet not as fast a killer, so it can really spread?

Cheers,

Badeskov

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I am by no means a microbiologist, in fact I am admittedly rather ignorant of said field. But it is my understanding that part of the issue is that it takes ~10 days before symptoms materialize and at that time patients are scattered all over the place. Secondly, if you have ever worked in Africa, well isolating people is not as easy as one might think it is in a well organized society.

This is a really scary virus in my honest (and uneducated) opinion and one of the reasons as I understand it is that it mutates so fast. What if it mutates into something just as deadly, yet not as fast a killer, so it can really spread?

Cheers,

Badeskov

Yes, I feel the same. There are already 5 strains. However, the latest strain causing this outbreak has dropped to a 60% fatality rate from 90%. This is both good and bad news. Survivability has increased but then so has the virus' opportunity to spread through living hosts.

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Yes, I feel the same. There are already 5 strains. However, the latest strain causing this outbreak has dropped to a 60% fatality rate from 90%. This is both good and bad news. Survivability has increased but then so has the virus' opportunity to spread through living hosts.

I thought the drop in fatality rate was more due to the ability to treat it earlier rather than the effect of the particular strain (CNN).

There is no cure or vaccine to treat Ebola, but MSF has shown it doesn't have to be a death sentence if it's treated early. Ebola typically kills 90% of patients. This outbreak, the death rate has dropped to roughly 60%.

Bolding mine. But I could easily be wrong, as stated earlier I am by no means an expert in this field and really only have what read in the news to base it on.

Cheers,

Badeskov

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I thought the drop in fatality rate was more due to the ability to treat it earlier rather than the effect of the particular strain (CNN).

Bolding mine. But I could easily be wrong, as stated earlier I am by no means an expert in this field and really only have what read in the news to base it on.

Cheers,

Badeskov

You're right ... it does appear that early treatment is reducing the fatality rate rather than the strain itself being any weaker. I really hope they have this under control, it is an awful way to die.

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Lets all move to Madagascar. Oh wait I think they still have plague there. Don't worry.

While it may be too virile to make it across to Europe, Asia etc. It is just virile enough to keep spreading in the African populaces.

VERY WRONG. As mentioned earlier there is an incubation period up to three weeks. London, Paris etc etc are a plane ride away and BOOM! Ebola is in Europe. Oh the poor Africans are too poor to fly ..... they get on a refugee boat and hit Italy or sapin and BOOM! Ebola is in Europe!! It can go anywhere. Oh and guess what the bodies of the dead are infectious for a few days after death. So moving bodies around for burial etc is just going to spread it.

What a horrible way to die!!

That's haemorrhagic fevers for you.

That would be a huge leap, it is far more likely to mutate in increments that allow it to spread by not killing the host so quickly or remain dormant for longer before it starts its cycle in a host but the virulence won't jump down to Common Cold levels any time soon - has AIDS come down to common cold levels since it made it's way around the world?

No HIV hasn't yet. HIV does have the potential to mutate. It would probably mutate faster than Ebola. My Immunology lecturer said it wouldn't surprise her if HIV became airborne, but she said that will be a large number of mutations away. Its the Coronaviruses like SARS and MERS that you should worry about they mutate fast. The high incidence of MERS in the Mid-East is blamed on mutation and multiple forms of MERS were going around.

"Ebola typically kills 90% of patients. This outbreak, the death rate has dropped to roughly 60%."

Small pox hits around the 30 - 55% death rate for comparison. Haemorrhagic smallpox has the same death rate 90-100%

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