Congo Ebola outbreak

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

This time we have an outbreak that has spread to a large city with 1.2 million people greatly increasing the spread of the virus.

Date of information: 20 May 2018

1. Situation update

Grade 3
Cases 51
Deaths 27
CFR 52.9%
The outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to evolve. Since the last external situation report on 18 May 2018, six additional cases with two deaths have been reported. On 20 May 2018, two new suspected cases and one new death of a confirmed case have been reported in Wangata Health Zone. Six cases (previously reported) in Iboko Health Zone have been confirmed.

From 4 April 2018 to 20 May 2018, a cumulative total of 51 EVD cases, including 27 deaths (case fatality rate 52.9%), have been reported. Of the 51 cases, 28 have been confirmed, 21 probable and two remain suspected cases. A total of five healthcare workers have been affected, with four confirmed cases and two deaths.

Three health zones have been affected: Bikoro (29 cases and 22 deaths), Iboko (16 cases and 3 deaths) and Wangata (6 cases and 4 deaths). Bikoro Health Zone remains the epicentre of the outbreak, accounting for 56.9% of all reported cases and 81.5% of all deaths.

A total of 628 contacts have been identified and are being followed up. Efforts are ongoing to enhance contact tracing and follow up.

https://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/democratic-republic-congo-ebola-virus-disease-external-situation-2

http://www.who.int/csr/don/17-may-2018-ebola-drc/en/
Two patients have broke quarantine, but died within a day so hopefully were not able to infect many people.

Two Ebola patients slipped out of a treatment center this week in the Democratic Republic of Congo, aid agency Doctors Without Borders said, raising fears the virus may spread as health officials raced to trace anyone they may have encountered.

The patients died within a day.

The families of the two helped them leave the health facility in Mbandaka during the night Monday, said Rosie Slater, a spokeswoman for Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, an acronym for the French name M?decins Sans Fronti?res.

https://www.abc15.com/news/health/ebola/2-patients-escape-ebola-care-facility-in-congo-and-both-died-within-a-day
Although unlikely, here are the known possibilities of where Ebola could spread according to flight patterns:

EcoHealth Alliance found these cities are the most closely connected to the point of origin of the ongoing outbreak:

1. Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo
2. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
3. Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
4. Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo
5. Brussels, Belgium
6. Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
7. Paris, France
8. Nairobi, Kenya
9. Johannesburg, South Africa
10. Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo

EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit that studies outbreaks, used software to identify where Ebola could spread through infected passengers. The system used flight patterns from the airports in Mbandaka, Kinshasa and Brazzaville, those nearest to Bikoro, where the outbreak started.

This doesn't mean Ebola will make it to these cities, said EcoHealth Alliance President Peter Daszak. Rather, the findings should encourage officials in these places to prepare so they're not scrambling if it does.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/25/ebola-outbreak-could-spread-through-these-flight-patterns-group-says.html
Now of course It is not likely to spread due to the quarantine, however, they did not expect it to spread to to where I am at in the US and infect a nurse when it did last time so hopefully they are more prepared this time.


https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/article/msf-responds-ebola-drc

 

[Just Ebola]

Welp, I chose a bad time to change my username...

If the last Ebola outbreak is any indication I'm sure the world health organizations will handle it will all the grace and efficiency of a walrus wearing ice skates.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

Ebola Outbreak, Russian Hacking the internet.

Where are you finding these news man?!

 

[Drathnoxis]

My horoscope said to avoid any Virgos or Leos with the Ebola virus!

 

[CrazyGirl17]

Great, as if I didn?t have enough to worry about ... I do not need more stress in my life!

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Ebola has a fraction of the R0 of things like the common flu. It's fine.

What makes this latest Ebola outbreaks more 'news worthy', is because of the sheer death toll and this strain's particular deadliness. Ebola will kill 56% of people it infects even in decent treatment and hospitalization scenarios.

Of the 19 Ebola outbreaks, most of them have fewer than 10 fatalities.

But let's actually put it in context .... Malaria kills 3,200 people a day. DR/MDR tuberculosis kills roughly 1,500 (exact figures unknown). Ebola kills about 3.

And yeah, health care professionals get sick during outbreak events. It's not really shocking why.

EVD is simply not as infectious as things like tuberculosis. You need to have direct mucous contact on an open wound, or direct contact with mucous, saliva, and semen. In fact, the chances of being infected while sharing a recycled air flight with an infected individual is incredibly low unless you're seated right next to them.

The man who infected said U.S. nurse was walking around in public for 5 days before seeking treatment in a hospital.

The panic about EVD is worse than the actual disease. I mean, sure, if you contract it your odds of survival are worse than Russian Roulette, but your chances of contracting it are minimal and highly dependent on geography and proximity to patient zero.

The thing about Ebola is you're not really infectious until you start displaying symptoms of it. Which means quarantine is timely and effective. You can easily practice social isolation. Moreover, the time it takes for EVD to actually jump hosts is about a week. By which point they are too weak to move, too obviously sick for anyone sane to approach beyond, say, that U.S. nurse treating them.

You could end the EVD outbreak in West Africa by basic things like hand sanitize, cloth face masks, and properly bandaging wounds (public education in short). And yeah, even if you take grueling steps to reduce the rate of infection ... there's always a chance of a first responder getting infected.

Short of walking around in positive pressure suits all day, bad things can happen when you work with infectious disease cases.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

Ebola has a fraction of the R0 of things like the common flu. It's fine.

What makes this latest Ebola outbreaks more 'news worthy', is because of the sheer death toll and this strain's particular deadliness. Ebola will kill 56% of people it infects even in decent treatment and hospitalization scenarios.

Of the 19 Ebola outbreaks, most of them have fewer than 10 fatalities.

But let's actually put it in context .... Malaria kills 3,200 people a day. DR/MDR tuberculosis kills roughly 1,500 (exact figures unknown). Ebola kills about 3.

And yeah, health care professionals get sick during outbreak events. It's not really shocking why.

EVD is simply not as infectious as things like tuberculosis. You need to have direct mucous contact on an open wound, or direct contact with mucous, saliva, and semen. In fact, the chances of being infected while sharing a recycled air flight with an infected individual is incredibly low unless you're seated right next to them.

The man who infected said U.S. nurse was walking around in public for 5 days before seeking treatment in a hospital.

The panic about EVD is worse than the actual disease. I mean, sure, if you contract it your odds of survival are worse than Russian Roulette, but your chances of contracting it are minimal and highly dependent on geography and proximity to patient zero.

The thing about Ebola is you're not really infectious until you start displaying symptoms of it. Which means quarantine is timely and effective. You can easily practice social isolation. Moreover, the time it takes for EVD to actually jump hosts is about a week. By which point they are too weak to move, too obviously sick for anyone sane to approach beyond, say, that U.S. nurse treating them.

You could end the EVD outbreak in West Africa by basic things like hand sanitize, cloth face masks, and properly bandaging wounds (public education in short). And yeah, even if you take grueling steps to reduce the rate of infection ... there's always a chance of a first responder getting infected.

Short of walking around in positive pressure suits all day, bad things can happen when you work with infectious disease cases.

You cannot end the Ebola Outbreak with hand sanitizer and face masks. I do not think you understand how much protection is actually required and although much more than that was used, Health care workers are still being infected. You actually have to have all skin covered, hand sanitizer is futile. Even though the Nurse in Dallas was fully covered, she still contracted the virus from a patient in isolation. They have actually had to increase the PPE for this due to people contracting it while following CDC recommendations. It is not just the first responders contracting it, they were still contracting the virus after they were put in isolation.

The good news is though they at least have a vaccine in hand this time. The bad news is how effective it will be in practice is still unknown and long term studies will have to be done.

The Ebola vaccination campaign has begun in DRC, to combat the latest outbreak in the country which has left at least 27 dead and 58 others with symptoms.

Though vaccination has started after the collection of more than 7,500 doses of the Ebola vaccine shipped to the country by the WHO, animist or religious beliefs of the sick and their parents are said to now threaten the effective use of the vaccines.

http://www.africanews.com/2018/05/25/ebola-vaccination-campaign-begins-in-drc/

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/05/research-during-ebola-vaccine-trial-it-s-complicated

What makes Ebola so risky is that it can survive in the body a very long time. There are still too many unknowns with it at this time.

The virus can lie dormant in a survivor for more than year and then re-emerge to infect others.

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/04/29/475801199/ebola-carriers-why-the-virus-keeps-coming-back

American doctor declared free of Ebola finds the virus in his eye months later

https://www.cnn.com/2015/05/08/health/ebola-eye-american-doctor/index.html

Ebola virus can linger in semen of survivors for 9 months, study shows

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/10/14/ebola-virus-can-linger-in-semen-for-9-months-tests-show/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.28ed42b5a1ec

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-ebola-survivors-struggle-with-new-symptoms/
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/10/how-long-ebola-sperm/


We still have much to learn in regards to Ebola, so recommendations are still changing.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

You cannot end the Ebola Outbreak with hand sanitizer and face masks. I do not think you understand how much protection is actually required and although much more than that was used, Health care workers are still being infected. You actually have to have all skin covered, hand sanitizer is futile. Even though the Nurse in Dallas was fully covered, she still contracted the virus from a patient in isolation. They have actually had to increase the PPE for this due to people contracting it while following CDC recommendations. It is not just the first responders contracting it, they were still contracting the virus after they were put in isolation.

Because THEY WORK WITH THE DISEASE. They are surrounded by it. They are constantly moving bodies. And I'm sorry to tell you this, but that nurse probably fucked up somewhere. Or perhaps that hospital did not maintain proper quarantine procedures. As a teacher I used to have to get flu shots because I worked with teenagers.

Basic hygiene like hand sanitizer, and trying to not get others sick, and public awareness of infection does miracles.

Do you know what one of the most common aspects of the disease spreading between people in West Africa? Improper body disposal. Touching and preparing the bodies of the deceased for traditional funerary practices.

But that's not exactly a problem in a country with incinerators and people accepting the idea that some thingsare too dangerous to not put a torch to. Yes, healthcare workers in the most afflicted countries are going to get sick. Because they're constantly exposed. A person who does not have any intimate or close contact with the infected will not likely get sick. Ebola has very specific requirements for it to be contracted.

There is a very specific reason why I talked about positive pressure suits, because none of those CDC guidelines are nearly as close as to working in BSL-4 'hot' lab environments and the level of protection those that do work in them are afforded.

The predominant problems of Ebola are sociocultural.

Once again ... that man who infected that nurse was in public for about five days before seeking treatment. So either she fucked up, or the hospital fucked up, or she (like so many nurses and doctors in Western hospitals) don't actually know routine cleanroom suit inspection. There is a myriad of ways she could have been exposed.

It could have been so simple as the hospital not properly dealing with used suits, or improper inspection prior entering a hot environment.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

You cannot end the Ebola Outbreak with hand sanitizer and face masks. I do not think you understand how much protection is actually required and although much more than that was used, Health care workers are still being infected. You actually have to have all skin covered, hand sanitizer is futile. Even though the Nurse in Dallas was fully covered, she still contracted the virus from a patient in isolation. They have actually had to increase the PPE for this due to people contracting it while following CDC recommendations. It is not just the first responders contracting it, they were still contracting the virus after they were put in isolation.

Because THEY WORK WITH THE DISEASE. They are surrounded by it. They are constantly moving bodies. And I'm sorry to tell you this, but that nurse probably fucked up somewhere. Or perhaps that hospital did not maintain proper quarantine procedures. As a teacher I used to have to get flu shots because I worked with teenagers.

Basic hygiene like hand sanitizer, and trying to not get others sick, and public awareness of infection does miracles.

Do you know what one of the most common aspects of the disease spreading between people in West Africa? Improper body disposal. Touching and preparing the bodies of the deceased for traditional funerary practices.

But that's not exactly a problem in a country with incinerators and people accepting the idea that some thingsare too dangerous to not put a torch to. Yes, healthcare workers in the most afflicted countries are going to get sick. Because they're constantly exposed. A person who does not have any intimate or close contact with the infected will not likely get sick. Ebola has very specific requirements for it to be contracted.

There is a very specific reason why I talked about positive pressure suits, because none of those CDC guidelines are nearly as close as to working in BSL-4 'hot' environments and the level of protection those that do work in them are afforded.

The predominant problems of Ebola are sociocultural.

Once again ... that man who infected that nurse was in public for about five days before seeking treatment. So either she fucked up, or the hospital fucked up, or she (like so many nurses and doctors in Western hospitals) don't actually know routine cleanroom suit inspection.

When you review the cases on healthcare workers who became infected, it was not from moving bodies, it is too easy for it to make it around masks, you need more protection than that. Luckily they have upgraded the headgear to address the issue. The issue with Ebola is it can survive outside the body for a very long time increasing the number of people that can be infected with it from indirect contact. Someone touching the same gas pump handle, door handles, shopping cart are at risk, not just those in contact with the person.

https://www.livescience.com/50758-ebola-virus-survival-surfaces.html

You also have the issue of it resurfacing much later in the survivor and the person being unaware they are contagious again.

You should get a flu shot all the time, not just from working with students. You can catch the flu from the market, gas station, restaurant or anywhere else not just from a school.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

When you review the cases on healthcare workers who became infected, it was not from moving bodies, it is too easy for it to make it around masks, you need more protection than that. Luckily they have upgraded the headgear to address the issue. The issue with Ebola is it can survive outside the body for a very long time increasing the number of people that can be infected with it from indirect contact. Someone touching the same gas pump handle, door handles, shopping cart are at risk, not just those in contact with the person.

https://www.livescience.com/50758-ebola-virus-survival-surfaces.html

You also have the issue of it resurfacing much later in the survivor and the person being unaware they are contagious again.

You should get a flu shot all the time, not just from working with students. You can catch the flu from the market, gas station, restaurant or anywhere else not just from a school.

So what exactly is the problem? That Ebola presents a heightened risk for healthcare professionals and researchers? Yeah ... but to be fair, it's also their job. It's kind of in their job description.

https://www.vox.com/cards/ebola-facts-you-need-to-know/health-care-workers-are-dying-in-record-numbers

Ebola is awful, but to put it into consideration ... it predominantly targets people with routine and intimate contact with the infected. For the average person on the street, not so much an issue unless it's a family member. As I was saying before .... public awareness would have protected the grand majority of the non-healthcare professionals infected ... which in turn would protect all the healthcare professionals.

Ebola has always been a problem ... it routinely emerges, and there's been 19 outbreaks so far. But for all of those outbreaks, and there have been massive outbreaks in the past, we've dealt with them with common sense quarantine, and social awareness, and education campaigns. In every one of those outbreaks, healthcare professionals are inordinately sufferers of the disease due their exposure.

So much so, certain villagers often came to the conclusion the healthcare professionals and researchers would spread the disease. Because, quite often, it would be the doctors and nurses would would contract it. It's not like thesevillages are superstitious, it's just that they saw doctors and nurses often in body bags ... at a disproportionate rate to their exposure to said individuals in their common experience.

Sure, it's cart before horse, but that's because the public awareness of disease is insufficient.

The recent vaccine they've produced ... I mean how longhave they been working on it and how many clinical trials have they done?

Regardless, Ebola is not nearly as frightening as, say, multidrug-resistant TB. Like in terms of legitimate pandemics we might have to worry about that could spell severe social and economic damages to the world ... TB is about a 1000 ranks above Ebola.

 

[RobertEHouse]

When i was a young adult long ago i worked in a nursing home , I was trained to deal with MRSA out breaks,It spreads similar to EBOLA.


(MRSA is a drug resistant bacterial infection it is very deadly)

Let me first tell you how nerve racking it is to jump into protection equipment and handle a infected person. It is a nightmare, you have hundred of things going on in your head. You don't move the same way as you normally do and you have in the back of your mind the danger. This while wearing the same exact equipment the CDC uses now for Ebola.

Suit punctures are not visible to the eye you can get infected.

At the nursing home we were taught what to look out for and how to be disinfected from spreading it to other nursing residence. The protection you wear ,is not 100% fool proof. All it takes is one puncture, one "micro" puncture and you are screwed. You will not know it unit you get home and start to feeling ill a day or two later.This happened to one of my former co-workers whom we would later found had a puncture the size of a tip of a pencil lead in the arm of their suit. He was very luckily living though losing only half of his liver after a month fight to live.

Why use MRSA as a EBOLA Example?(active infection)

Although bacterial, MRSA gets spread just like EBOLA does.Blood , fluid and even objects which are used by the patent have to be handled with care for months. The only difference MRSA has several types which are no less dangerous goes air born as well. Leaving rooms in hospitals or nursing homes shut and "doubled bagged".

*Like EBOLA, MRSA once on the skin does not get washed off with a shower and soap. (yes,its that bad)

*Like EBOLA kills or permanently damages the human body. Can resurface years later after the first infection.

*Unlike EBOLA, MRSA evolves and a new strain is appearing to develop even more deadly.

http://www.parkin.ca/blog/mrsa-sars-ebola-and-infection-prevention/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mrsa/symptoms-causes/syc-20375336


Neither Ebola or MRSA are nothing to laugh at, it will put the fear of god into you. Hopefully they can find these patients and families.

All i know is after i first dealt with it at 24 i never wanted to work in the health field again. changed career

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

When i was a young adult long ago i worked in a nursing home , I was trained to deal with MRSA out breaks,It spreads similar to EBOLA.


(MRSA is a drug resistant bacterial infection it is very deadly)

Let me first tell you how nerve racking it is to jump into protection equipment and handle a infected person. It is a nightmare, you have hundred of things going on in your head. You don't move the same way as you normally do and you have in the back of your mind the danger. This while wearing the same exact equipment the CDC uses now for Ebola.

Suit punctures are not visible to the eye you can get infected.

At the nursing home we were taught what to look out for and how to be disinfected from spreading it to other nursing residence. The protection you wear ,is not 100% fool proof. All it takes is one puncture, one "micro" puncture and you are screwed. You will not know it unit you get home and start to feeling ill a day or two later.This happened to one of my former co-workers whom we would later found had a puncture the size of a tip of a pencil lead in the arm of their suit. He was very luckily living though losing only half of his liver after a month fight to live.

Why use MRSA as a EBOLA Example?(active infection)

Although bacterial, MRSA gets spread just like EBOLA does.Blood , fluid and even objects which are used by the patent have to be handled with care for months. The only difference MRSA has several types which are no less dangerous goes air born as well. Leaving rooms in hospitals or nursing homes shut and "doubled bagged".

*Like EBOLA, MRSA once on the skin does not get washed off with a shower and soap. (yes,its that bad)

*Like EBOLA kills or permanently damages the human body. Can resurface years later after the first infection.

*Unlike EBOLA, MRSA evolves and a new strain is appearing to develop even more deadly.

http://www.parkin.ca/blog/mrsa-sars-ebola-and-infection-prevention/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mrsa/symptoms-causes/syc-20375336


Neither Ebola or MRSA are nothing to laugh at, it will put the fear of god into you. Hopefully they can find these patients and families.

All i know is after i first dealt with it at 24 i never wanted to work in the health field again. changed career

Yes, I understand your anxiety with this all too well.I just put it out of mind and focus on what needs to be done instead though. Not only am I practicing Pediatric Medicine in what is expected to be ground zero for the next epidemic to hit North America (DFW metroplex, one of the highest immigration cities in North America), I also have shifts at the Primary Public Hospital in Dallas, volunteer at the free Clinic and shelter and also volunteer with MSF. I have already contracted a superbug myself while working with MSF that almost killed me and it is still highly likely I will never fully recover from it. I can't imagine walking away from doing this though, the thought of what will happen to people if we weren't here prevents me.

 

[CyanCat47_v1legacy]

Hopefully the world in general will have learned something since the last major outbreak and the complete hysteria that occured in non-infected areas can be avoided this time around.

 

[stroopwafel]

I think the consumption of 'bushmeat' is the primary reason Ebola continues to erupt in Africa and after that the added complication that international healthcare workers have a hard time separating the patient from his/her family and incinerating the highly contagious remains of the patient. Superstition, distrust and failing domestic healthcare exacarbate the problem even further.

In the developed world ofcourse we have way more efficient healthcare and medical intervention in the case of outbreaks but open borders and intercontinental flights still pose a major risk of any third world or 'exotic' virus from erupting here. Any country with a (recent) Ebola outbreak should, sorry, be put on a ban list for international flights. Atleast until the outbreak is under control. Similarly healthcare workers should follow a military protocol when dealing with infected or remain absent at all.

African countries with Ebola outbreaks already have it bad and it's heartbreaking people also have to endure this but there is no need putting additional risks on international doctors and nurses or the populations of other countries. Though, in the long term awareness campaigns for not eating bushmeat will be the most effective.

 

[RobertEHouse]

When i was a young adult long ago i worked in a nursing home , I was trained to deal with MRSA out breaks,It spreads similar to EBOLA.


(MRSA is a drug resistant bacterial infection it is very deadly)

Let me first tell you how nerve racking it is to jump into protection equipment and handle a infected person. It is a nightmare, you have hundred of things going on in your head. You don't move the same way as you normally do and you have in the back of your mind the danger. This while wearing the same exact equipment the CDC uses now for Ebola.

Suit punctures are not visible to the eye you can get infected.

At the nursing home we were taught what to look out for and how to be disinfected from spreading it to other nursing residence. The protection you wear ,is not 100% fool proof. All it takes is one puncture, one "micro" puncture and you are screwed. You will not know it unit you get home and start to feeling ill a day or two later.This happened to one of my former co-workers whom we would later found had a puncture the size of a tip of a pencil lead in the arm of their suit. He was very luckily living though losing only half of his liver after a month fight to live.

Why use MRSA as a EBOLA Example?(active infection)

Although bacterial, MRSA gets spread just like EBOLA does.Blood , fluid and even objects which are used by the patent have to be handled with care for months. The only difference MRSA has several types which are no less dangerous goes air born as well. Leaving rooms in hospitals or nursing homes shut and "doubled bagged".

*Like EBOLA, MRSA once on the skin does not get washed off with a shower and soap. (yes,its that bad)

*Like EBOLA kills or permanently damages the human body. Can resurface years later after the first infection.

*Unlike EBOLA, MRSA evolves and a new strain is appearing to develop even more deadly.

http://www.parkin.ca/blog/mrsa-sars-ebola-and-infection-prevention/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mrsa/symptoms-causes/syc-20375336


Neither Ebola or MRSA are nothing to laugh at, it will put the fear of god into you. Hopefully they can find these patients and families.

All i know is after i first dealt with it at 24 i never wanted to work in the health field again. changed career

Yes, I understand your anxiety with this all too well.I just put it out of mind and focus on what needs to be done instead though. Not only am I practicing Pediatric Medicine in what is expected to be ground zero for the next epidemic to hit North America (DFW metroplex, one of the highest immigration cities in North America), I also have shifts at the Primary Public Hospital in Dallas, volunteer at the free Clinic and shelter and also volunteer with MSF. I have already contracted a superbug myself while working with MSF that almost killed me and it is still highly likely I will never fully recover from it. I can't imagine walking away from doing this though, the thought of what will happen to people if we weren't here prevents me.

My hat is off to you then, staying in the field. Even doing free clinics and shelters, many of which are usually underfunded and not supported enough by the community. I wish I could say long term facilities were better, but experience has shown me how far from the truth that is.

I hope people actually take infections and outbreaks more seriously sooner. Otherwise i feel we might be looking at very dark times to come.

 

[mohit9206]

Ebola has a fraction of the R0 of things like the common flu. It's fine.

What makes this latest Ebola outbreaks more 'news worthy', is because of the sheer death toll and this strain's particular deadliness. Ebola will kill 56% of people it infects even in decent treatment and hospitalization scenarios.

Of the 19 Ebola outbreaks, most of them have fewer than 10 fatalities.

I remember watching a documentary on some channel where it said it kills 99% of people and has one of the highest mortality rate of any disease.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

When i was a young adult long ago i worked in a nursing home , I was trained to deal with MRSA out breaks,It spreads similar to EBOLA.


(MRSA is a drug resistant bacterial infection it is very deadly)

Let me first tell you how nerve racking it is to jump into protection equipment and handle a infected person. It is a nightmare, you have hundred of things going on in your head. You don't move the same way as you normally do and you have in the back of your mind the danger. This while wearing the same exact equipment the CDC uses now for Ebola.

Suit punctures are not visible to the eye you can get infected.

At the nursing home we were taught what to look out for and how to be disinfected from spreading it to other nursing residence. The protection you wear ,is not 100% fool proof. All it takes is one puncture, one "micro" puncture and you are screwed. You will not know it unit you get home and start to feeling ill a day or two later.This happened to one of my former co-workers whom we would later found had a puncture the size of a tip of a pencil lead in the arm of their suit. He was very luckily living though losing only half of his liver after a month fight to live.

Why use MRSA as a EBOLA Example?(active infection)

Although bacterial, MRSA gets spread just like EBOLA does.Blood , fluid and even objects which are used by the patent have to be handled with care for months. The only difference MRSA has several types which are no less dangerous goes air born as well. Leaving rooms in hospitals or nursing homes shut and "doubled bagged".

*Like EBOLA, MRSA once on the skin does not get washed off with a shower and soap. (yes,its that bad)

*Like EBOLA kills or permanently damages the human body. Can resurface years later after the first infection.

*Unlike EBOLA, MRSA evolves and a new strain is appearing to develop even more deadly.

http://www.parkin.ca/blog/mrsa-sars-ebola-and-infection-prevention/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mrsa/symptoms-causes/syc-20375336


Neither Ebola or MRSA are nothing to laugh at, it will put the fear of god into you. Hopefully they can find these patients and families.

All i know is after i first dealt with it at 24 i never wanted to work in the health field again. changed career

Yes, I understand your anxiety with this all too well.I just put it out of mind and focus on what needs to be done instead though. Not only am I practicing Pediatric Medicine in what is expected to be ground zero for the next epidemic to hit North America (DFW metroplex, one of the highest immigration cities in North America), I also have shifts at the Primary Public Hospital in Dallas, volunteer at the free Clinic and shelter and also volunteer with MSF. I have already contracted a superbug myself while working with MSF that almost killed me and it is still highly likely I will never fully recover from it. I can't imagine walking away from doing this though, the thought of what will happen to people if we weren't here prevents me.

My hat is off to you then, staying in the field. Even doing free clinics and shelters, many of which are usually underfunded and not supported enough by the community. I wish I could say long term facilities were better, but experience has shown me how far from the truth that is.

I hope people actually take infections and outbreaks more seriously sooner. Otherwise i feel we might be looking at very dark times to come.

In order for the free Clinic to have any supplies at all we have to bring everything from our offices and Hospitals. The Pharma reps will not visit there so we take everything in their samples case at the office and throw it in a box and take it to the clinic to give to people who cannot afford medication in the first place. Sadly, there would not even be any gloves, masks or gowns for protection at all if we didn't snag them from our other Hospitals and Clinics. Due to Texas's terrible lack of funding for medicaid and healthcare in general, we have an extreme demand of people needing free services and no funding. It really is a mess here and there is no excuse for the situation that is created here due to how they choose to fund services to the poor in Texas.

I also agree Long term facilities are a nightmare. Much of what happens there causes infections to be far worse than they would have been otherwise. This too is a terrible lack of proper funding issues as you cannot get quality long term staff, facilities and supplies without proper funding.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

Ebola has a fraction of the R0 of things like the common flu. It's fine.

What makes this latest Ebola outbreaks more 'news worthy', is because of the sheer death toll and this strain's particular deadliness. Ebola will kill 56% of people it infects even in decent treatment and hospitalization scenarios.

Of the 19 Ebola outbreaks, most of them have fewer than 10 fatalities.

I remember watching a documentary on some channel where it said it kills 99% of people and has one of the highest mortality rate of any disease.

Those that do survive continue to have life long problems and still often die from complications that arose later that were initially caused by the virus itself.

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2017/08/study-finds-high-disability-rate-ebola-survivors
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-01-ebola-long-term-effects-revealed.html

 

[Vanilla ISIS]

Not Congo! I go there all the time!
They have great discounts on child slaves.
Good thing it's not one of the countries where Europe gets their refugees from.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

Not Congo! I go there all the time!
They have great discounts on child slaves.
Good thing it's not one of the countries where Europe gets their refugees from.

Is this supposed to be Sarcasm? Although the likelihood of Ebola Spreading through refugees is very very low. That is not what you should be concerned about.

https://www.resettlement.eu/page/congolese-drc-refugees
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/09/european-commission-seeks-resettle-50000-refugees-170927170931800.html
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/briefing/2018/1/5a7037ab4/drc-congo-violence-sees-surge-refugees-fleeing-eastwards.html