Is the ebola virus the end of humanity ?

[Kpak 20]

Today, the World Health Organization ( WHO ) has declared a global emergency because ebola is out of control.

Is this our Mayan 12/21/12 we missed a couple of years ago ?

I personally believe the world is in deep trouble beside the middle east problems.

Any thoughts ?

[bubblykiss 9,661]

Ebola burns too quickly to be a true doomsday virus.

Something with a long gestation period and rapid mutation would fit the bill better.

[BlueBomber 198]

Ebola burns too quickly to be a true doomsday virus.

Something with a long gestation period and rapid mutation would fit the bill better.

Yeah, and as I've come to understand it, it's not even a bad strain of Ebola.

[BiffSplitkins 4,531]

Yeah, and as I've come to understand it, it's not even a bad strain of Ebola.

I don't know about you, but I prefer not to have ANY strain of Ebola.

[Einsteinium 1,725]

Yeah, and as I've come to understand it, it's not even a bad strain of Ebola.

Actually that is incorrect. The strain causing the current outbreak is the Zaire strain of ebola- the most deadly strain we know of.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/how-to/blog/5-reasons-that-this-is-the-worst-ebola-outbreak-ever-2484597?click=pm_news

[Kpak 20]

WHO said today that with polio it took years to control the deaths.

WHO said the word emergency is not to be taken lightly in that the ebola is jumps way ahead of the game.

I hope it can be contained !

[StRoostifer 7,303]

Yeah, and as I've come to understand it, it's not even a bad strain of Ebola.

Any strain that kills is bad, period.

[quiXilver 4,379]

population density and disease seem to correlate... I can't help but wonder if there's causation.

[Mr.United_Nations 2,673]

Today, the World Health Organization ( WHO ) has declared a global emergency because ebola is out of control.

Is this our Mayan 12/21/12 we missed a couple of years ago ?

I personally believe the world is in deep trouble beside the middle east problems.

Any thoughts ?

we survived the Spanish flu

[Kpak 20]

I was shocked to find out that the CDC owns all patents on the Ebola virus and equipment, and treatment.

The CDC patented Ebola in 2009.

I not sure what this means?

Is this Ebola a military weapon ?

[Iron_Lotus 10,899]

ill punch that ebola right in its nucleocapsid

ebola is not the end of the world we'll be just fine

[Thorvir 13,939]

The Plague and Spanish Flu were much, much more deadly. Heck, malaria is still more of a concern than ebola.

[Rlyeh 10,239]

What does 2012 have to do with it? People clutching at failed predictions.

[libstaK 6,399]

population density and disease seem to correlate... I can't help but wonder if there's causation.

Yeah it's probably something profound like "the more people there are the more opportunities a disease has to spread".

[Skep B 4,404]

That's my guess as well. Considering the outbreak started 6 months ago and..i think what, 1,000 people have died? so in 1800 days 1000 people have died. That's not all that terrible for an area like western africa in a big picture sense.

That's not to say help shouldn't be provided. Of course healthcare support should be given. But it's simply not a reason for worldwide concern.

[libstaK 6,399]

That's my guess as well. Considering the outbreak started 6 months ago and..i think what, 1,000 people have died? so in 1800 days 1000 people have died. That's not all that terrible for an area like western africa in a big picture sense.

That's not to say help shouldn't be provided. Of course healthcare support should be given. But it's simply not a reason for worldwide concern.

Well..... at the beginning of July the figure was 600 cases and 390 deaths from the start of the outbreak in March up to the 26 June, now, 4 weeks later we have 1800 cases and 930 deaths. That is quite an escalation.

It's a bit like a leaking tap, if it's not fixed then it will soon enough become a deluge of water.

[Kpak 20]

A real problem, no one is collecting the dead Ebola people on the streets. This is a real problem according to ABC News.

[Skep B 4,404]

Well..... at the beginning of July the figure was 600 cases and 390 deaths from the start of the outbreak in March up to the 26 June, now, 4 weeks later we have 1800 cases and 930 deaths. That is quite an escalation.

It's a bit like a leaking tap, if it's not fixed then it will soon enough become a deluge of water.

Didn't see that there was a spike like that.

Still I think this is a localized issue more than anything, and not worth getting worried about. The death rate is something like 60 percent i believe. While high, the means of transference is such that it takes infected bodily fluids to allow it. high population tribal society is more apt to have that happen than a more modern society.

Given that ebola before has caused a a 90 percent mortality rate in the past.

And that the average mortality rate for ebola is 75 percent, its probable that this particular outbreak will rise more in its rate before dying off again like previous ones have done via an international effort to quarantine the infected.

Granted that may take some military enforcement to ensure the quarrantine is followed, but if the stop of a disease transmitted via specific fluids is the end result, I'd say some international policing of a quarantine area is called for.

Temporarily of course.

Could possibly use the outbreak as an opportunity to study the disease more.

I'd say its a chance for progress, rather than a world ender

Edited August 9, 2014 by Scheming B