Ebola in Texas

[Fermion]

I will repeat myself. Once.

Listen to trained medical professionals.

Who go bowling while being a carrier of a disease with a 50% to 70% death rate and transmitted by sweat. Now imagine the millions that will be spent tracing all of the potential contacts and putting them under observation. I hope he at least bowled in the 200s.

trained medical professional...

 

[utrecht]

Ebola may have a 50%-70% death rate in a third world country, but so far it has a death rate of 0% for people who contract it in the US.

Not a single person who hasn't regularly handled bodily fluids from an infected person has contracted Ebola in the US, let alone died from it. 36,000 people die from the flu each year in the US alone. Ebola is the most overblown story of 2014.

 

[Fermion]

You can't afford to be cavalier about a disease which shuts down entire emergency wings at hospitals because of a single patient.

You go work with sick people in Africa, you come back and stay at a government approved quarantine site with minimal contact...or you stay in Africa.

 

[Meadbh]

Oh dear. This physician behaved very irresponsibly. On behalf of my former profession, I apologize.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/24/n...tes-host-of-challenges-for-the-city.html?_r=0

 

[Bestwifeever]

Guess this thread should be changed to Ebola in America since a case is confirmed in NY. So...this doctor was treating patients in Guinea was back 10 days and became sick. But wait...apparently he went bowling the other night. Seems like he should have been quarantined for 21 days first. I wish him a speedy recovery.

It sounds like he followed protocol (which doesn't include quarantine) to a tee in monitoring his temperature etc with medical staff and reporting any sign of symptoms every day, and immediately was taken to the hospital when he spiked a fever. I too wish him a speedy recovery and admire the people in Doctors Without Borders and others who take their medical expertise to places like West Africa.

So much $$ is pouring in to help with this awful disease in so many ways--the Gateses, Zuckergerg, and now Paul Allen's $100 million Billionaire Paul Allen pledges at least $100 million to fight Ebola - LA Times. I also see that several trials for different vaccines and meds are at full speed now on humans. Hopefully something will be found effective and we can all get vaccinated in a year or so.

 

[Cassie]

More information was presented at the press conference. He was not symptomatic until today, so that's a good thing, because as time moves forward he will become increasingly contagious is how I understand it. Sounds like NYC has the situation under control at the moment.

Thanks for the link bestwifeever.

 

[meierlde]

I also see that several trials for different vaccines and meds are at full speed now on humans. Hopefully something will be found effective and we can all get vaccinated in a year or so.

I suspect it will not be a universal vaccine, just like in general folks don't get rabies vaccine (only folks who work with animals do such as vets and assistants, and folks who go caving). It is only really those disease transmitted by air that get the vaccines.

 

[brewer12345]

More information was presented at the press conference. He was not symptomatic until today, so that's a good thing, because as time moves forward he will become increasingly contagious is how I understand it. Sounds like NYC has the situation under control at the moment.

Thanks for the link bestwifeever.

So the dude came back from Ebolaland, sashayed around Manahattan, and now the MFer is a hero? This moron should have been in isolation for 21 days after returning, since our gubmint does not have the spine to tell these folks they need to stay overseas for the duration.

 

[M Paquette]

Clearly, given a choice between accepting medical information from well trained, experienced professionals and strangers on the internet, folks here know which one to trust.

 

[flyingaway]

Ebola may have a 50%-70% death rate in a third world country, but so far it has a death rate of 0% for people who contract it in the US.

Not a single person who hasn't regularly handled bodily fluids from an infected person has contracted Ebola in the US, let alone died from it. 36,000 people die from the flu each year in the US alone. Ebola is the most overblown story of 2014.

It does not mean there will be no Ebola death in the U.S. in the future. I am very disappointed when the two nurses got infected and the government was saying that every hospital in the U.S. was well prepared. They just lost my trust.

 

[brewer12345]

Clearly, given a choice between accepting medical information from well trained, experienced professionals and strangers on the internet, folks here know which one to trust.

It must be wonderful to live in a Panglossian construct.

 

[Gumby]

I wonder why someone returning from a high risk situation (treating ebola patients) is not simply automatically blood tested for the virus upon his return, rather than having him self-monitor and/or voluntarily quarantine for 21 days to see if symptoms develop?

 

[Fermion]

Now NYC is trying to trace down all of his contacts. I can imagine the cost and manpower of this task considering:

"he visited a city park, had a meal at a restaurant, visited a Brooklyn bowling alley, took at least three subway trains and went for a 3-mile (4.8-km) run."

If this is following protocol then DwB needs to change their protocol. Aside from the loss in donations they will probably have from this event, the millions that will be spent in the NYC panic aftermath could have been used to help those doctors still in Africa (and not bowling with Ebola).

I also am not 100% comfortable with the "not contagious until showing symptoms". The virus is 80nm wide and a few hundred nanometers long. The light you are seeing from your computer monitor has a wavelength several times that size. If some of your cells have started to reproduce the virus and it is in your sweat then perhaps jogging in NYC and riding the subway while you *feel* ok isn't the best of ideas?

 

[Bestwifeever]

I wonder why someone returning from a high risk situation (treating ebola patients) is not simply automatically blood tested for the virus upon his return, rather than having him self-monitor and/or voluntarily quarantine for 21 days to see if symptoms develop?

Probably the question of the day--many asked this in Chicago this week when two travelers not directly exposed to ebola were isolated after vomiting on a flight (one, a child, was tested, one not, both seem to be okay). Apparently current accurate testing is cumbersome. The Chicago Tribune reports:

The CDC recommends testing for people who get a fever within 21 days of a high-risk exposure, such as skin contact with body fluids of a person with Ebola.

The virus is detected in blood only after the onset of symptoms, usually fever, the CDC said, adding that it may take up to three days after symptoms appear for the virus to reach detectable levels.

Ebola test negative for child who fell ill on flight from Liberia to O'Hare - Chicago Tribune

Many labs are working on faster and better tests, fortunately. Here is a story about test development, none ready for use yet:

Quick, cheap Ebola tests could be key to halting virus

?...quick-result Ebola litmus test...draws blood and dabs it onto a paper doused with antibodies that react with Ebola proteins. If there's a reaction, the paper turns color — that's a positive result. The process takes five to 15 minutes, and at $5 to $10, it's cheaper than the standard testing machine, the qPCR, which costs about $20,000.

[another test] is $6,000, and weighs less than 5 pounds, which makes diagnosis possible even in remote, rural areas. Results take 90 minutes, but the best part is this: The Q16 can diagnose the virus within five days of infection, weeks before patients start showing symptoms....

[Yet another test] draws blood "straight from the vein," dabs it on a silicon chip and shines a single-colored LED through it. The Ebola-specific particles appear as bright dots on the chip, if present.... it will be able to detect Ebola in asymptomatic patients. And it'll also be able to test for the Marburg virus, also a hemorrhagic fever, and bacterial infections like E. coli.

 

[eytonxav]

Clearly, given a choice between accepting medical information from well trained, experienced professionals and strangers on the internet, folks here know which one to trust.

+1 too much hysteria all over, seems many could benefit from a dose of Prozac to calm down

 

[MRG]

+1 too much hysteria all over, seems many could benefit from a dose of Prozac to calm down

Easy to go there.
So much differing information. Health officials say one thing, but their actions appear to be saying 'except me'. Perhaps I'm mistaken.

I understand not being able to shut down travel. Folks that have been potentially exposed need to act responsible. Based on what I've read this last DR. didn't act responsible.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[brewer12345]

+1 too much hysteria all over, seems many could benefit from a dose of Prozac to calm down

And some overconfident, smug buggers could benefit from getting a clue just how incompetent gubmint officials can be when the chips are down.

 

[haha]

It is only really those disease transmitted by air that get the vaccines.

Hep A, HepB, HPV? tetanus? Better hold your breath whenever you are around people or soil if these very common vaccines don't really exist. We thought that we had received them.

Ha

 

[rodi]

Since Texas no longer has any cases of Ebola - they are now free to move about the country.

NYers - plan on staying home - the travel ban is now in place.

And we better put a travel ban on New Jersey and Connecticut since many people from those states commute to NY city, where the Doctor was when he was diagnosed.

I think I'm going to start wearing a wet suit with booties, gloves, hood, and a welders helmet... Even though I'm in CA. Just in case someone violates the quarantine zone - even if they have no symptoms and aren't contagious. Even in CA - we have a lot of travel to NY, Nebraska, Atlanta (emory), and Maryland (NIH). too bad my wetsuit chafes.

(This is sarcastic for those of you who can't figure it out.)

 

[Fermion]

I think I'm going to start wearing a wet suit with booties, gloves, hood, and a welders helmet... Even though I'm in CA. Just in case someone violates the quarantine zone - even if they have no symptoms and aren't contagious. Even in CA - we have a lot of travel to NY, Nebraska, Atlanta (emory), and Maryland (NIH). too bad my wetsuit chafes.

(This is sarcastic for those of you who can't figure it out.)

How about posting your home address and inviting people returning from treating patients in Africa to eat dinner and play with your kids? I mean, they are not showing symptoms so what could be the harm?

Oh, what was that? Some concern after all?

 

[rodi]

How about posting your home address and inviting people returning from treating patients in Africa to eat dinner and play with your kids? I mean, they are not showing symptoms so what could be the harm?

Oh, what was that? Some concern after all?

Actually - if they weren't showing symptoms at all - I would have no problem. In fact if they were from one of the aide organizations like Doctors w/out Bordors, I'd bake a special cake to thank them.

I'd probably insist they wash their hands before eating - just like I do my kids.

If they developed extreme vomiting or diahrea while in my home - I'd move to a different room, call 911 and explain, and make sure someone with proper attire cleaned up the mess.

This post is not sarcastic.

If it were as easily transmitted as you are implying, then the girlfriend and son of Duncan would have gotten it. Also the mom of Vinson and the boyfriend of Pham. All have come out of the incubation period with no issues.

And everyone who came to or left the hospital while he was there... not just the two nurses.

Yet that hasn't happened. No new cases acquired in the US since the nurses - including *their* caregivers and kin.

 

[eytonxav]

And some overconfident, smug buggers could benefit from getting a clue just how incompetent gubmint officials can be when the chips are down.

Are you implying I am smug and over confident bugger?

 

[timo2]

Actually - if they weren't showing symptoms at all - I would have no problem. In fact if they were from one of the aide organizations like Doctors w/out Borders, I'd bake a special cake to thank them.

In fact the only people in the USA diagnosed with ebola are folks that were helping others. None of the bystanders have contracted it. Even in west Africa many of the cases are cargivers. IIRC something like 40% of the medical personnel in west Africa have died from Ebola.

And everyone, don't forget to get a flu shot...we can get that just by being a bystander.

 

[clifp]

It sounds like he followed protocol (which doesn't include quarantine) to a tee in monitoring his temperature etc with medical staff and reporting any sign of symptoms every day, and immediately was taken to the hospital when he spiked a fever. I too wish him a speedy recovery and admire the people in Doctors Without Borders and others who take their medical expertise to places like West Africa.

So much $$ is pouring in to help with this awful disease in so many ways--the Gateses, Zuckergerg, and now Paul Allen's $100 million Billionaire Paul Allen pledges at least $100 million to fight Ebola - LA Times. I also see that several trials for different vaccines and meds are at full speed now on humans. Hopefully something will be found effective and we can all get vaccinated in a year or so.

Yes he did but I guess it's too much to hope for people to be rational about this. There was no reason for him to avoid contact with people until he started showing symptoms. The only reason they have to do contact tracing in his case is an abundance of caution.

Somebody correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is the Doctors with Borders recruits doctors for 9-12 month assignments (shorter in some cases). It pays these doctors under $2K/month (good luck paying student loan debt on that salary.) Then sends them into the hot spots of the world, surrounded by killers (either biological or human).

As great as all the donated money is, we also really really need these brave folks out on the front lines. If we add a mandatory 3 week quarantine every time they leave Africa we are reducing they effectiveness of the doctors and making the recruitment process more difficult.

Doctor without Borders has been battling Ebola in West Africa for almost a year and this is there first staff member who has symptoms of the disease since leaving Africa. The only way Ebola becomes a big deal in the US is if it become even more of a catastrophe in Africa. You can learn more and donate here

 

[M Paquette]

Oct 24 What To Fear Report!

Nobody's concerned about the free movement of rabbits, squirrels, and other wildlife known to act as carriers of the ebola virus out of the Dallas and NYC hot zones?

Be careful with that bush meat.

Meanwhile, noted virologist and epidemiologist Peter King has terrifying news.

Doctors at the Biocontainment Unit at The Nebraska Medical Center have a secret ebola cure. I, you, we all should scream for this!