Ebola in Europe / US.

[Stephanie]

Yes, the virus has the potential to spread uncontrolled across large parts of Africa.
The disease usually died out in previous cases because it kills too quickly, and is only infectious when its victim is extremely sick.

But as MSF has said, the problem in Africa is the medical infrastructure is such, that patients are treated at home, often in houses where people (and sometimes visitors and neighbours) all eat off the same plates, share the same bedding, and if the victim dies, have close contact with the corpse.

In a developed country, the situation is different. If a person was suffering from Ebola, and was infectious, he would be obviously very sick and displaying symptoms. Symptoms are severe and include:
Nausea and vomiting.
Diarrhoea (may be bloody)
Red eyes.
Raised rash.
Chest pain and cough.
Stomach pain.
Severe weight loss.
Bleeding, usually from the eyes, ears, nose and rectum

First symptoms of ebola is what they call 'flu-like symptoms'.

The very first being fever , headache , achy joints , muscle ache.

Soon as one has these symptoms , they are contagious and can infect others even by casual contact ,

or simply sharing the same space.

Just picture yourself in a crowded pub , bloke hollering right next to you , spittle flying.

Or being in a crowded concert , or with flu season coming up , someone sneezing on you on a bus.

All these scenarios are possible routes for infection.

Are they likely ?

They be less likely in a developed country than elsewhere , but still concerning , if their numbers play out.

I'm going to the farm.

Don't think I'd feel comfortable being all kissy at the moment x

[ber]

I think people need to get a grip here,i would safely venture that the odds of dying from Ebola in Ireland would be something similar to those of getting struck by lightning. I can without doubt say that this winter many more people will die in Ireland of the Flu than
will die of Ebola.
Sur im quite sure it wont even be mentioned here in 6 months time

[Stephanie]

I think people need to get a grip here,i would safely venture that the odds of dying from Ebola in Ireland would be something similar to those of getting struck by lightning. I can without doubt say that this winter many more people will die in Ireland of the Flu than
will die of Ebola.
Sur im quite sure it wont even be mentioned here in 6 months time

Living on an isolated farm I am absolutely certain that you'll be just dandy fine Ber

Living in a city and as a way of life intimately engaging with several persons a day , I propose poses a higher risk.


Let's hope you are right and in six months time it will be yesterday's news x

[beautyaddict]

I think people need to get a grip here,i would safely venture that the odds of dying from Ebola in Ireland would be something similar to those of getting struck by lightning. I can without doubt say that this winter many more people will die in Ireland of the Flu than
will die of Ebola.
Sur im quite sure it wont even be mentioned here in 6 months time

Perhaps you are right but what about the people in Africa, no bother there then? also the implications for the economy worldwide are an issue which perhaps you may be moved by as it will impact if it gets on the move. The its" all right its over there" approach is interesting to say the least. However it is now in Europe and no one seems to have a clear explanation, meanwhile people are dying in the streets in Sierra Leon, perhaps we need to remind ourselves of the Famine here and how other countries helpd us.

Heathrow is seen as a significant risk , from there to hear is that really so difficult. I do hope it is contained but I also hope we the West will get over there to Africa and help these unfortunate people. Also having done some research the more this virus spreads the more likely it can mutatae via RNA copying error it seems so its in all our intertest to get this virus contained, controlled lives saved and a "cure found. Indeed markets are already starting to react to it and not in a good way.

[ber]

Perhaps you are right but what about the people in Africa, no bother there then? also the implications for the economy worldwide are an issue which perhaps you may be moved by as it will impact if it gets on the move. The its" all right its over there" approach is interesting to say the least. However it is now in Europe and no one seems to have a clear explanation, meanwhile people are dying in the streets in Sierra Leon, perhaps we need to remind ourselves of the Famine here and how other countries helpd us.

Heathrow is seen as a significant risk , from there to hear is that really so difficult. I do hope it is contained but I also hope we the West will get over there to Africa and help these unfortunate people. Also having done some research the more this virus spreads the more likely it can mutatae via RNA copying error it seems so its in all our intertest to get this virus contained, controlled lives saved and a "cure found. Indeed markets are already starting to react to it and not in a good way.

Look lets get one thing straight the developed world as a society dosent give two hoots about the people of Africa because if they did they would have already stamped out the disease which kills more than any other there, its called hunger and the cure for it
is in abundance in the world its called food. Individuals give their life to trying to help but there is no political will as helping would upset the economic balance of the developed world so there is a big song and dance about isolated incidents such as Ebola
but nothing done about the real core problem, hunger and poverty

[justfrank44]

Look lets get one thing straight the developed world as a society dosent give two hoots about the people of Africa because if they did they would have already stamped out the disease which kills more than any other there, its called hunger and the cure for it
is in abundance in the world its called food. Individuals give their life to trying to help but there is no political will as helping would upset the economic balance of the developed world so there is a big song and dance about isolated incidents such as Ebola
but nothing done about the real core problem, hunger and poverty

Another thing to remember is that there are a lot if incidents where treatment is refused by people who still rely on local witch doctors. Aid workers have been attacked in villages and not allowed to treat anyone there. As long as things like this continue to happen , it will be very difficult to get to grips with the virus.

[Me4711]

And for further contemplation

The current case in Dallas :

Bloke flew from overseas , seemingly healthy.

What if he'd been a 'punter' , visiting a lady to ease his headache and light flu symptoms ?

This case is in Dallas.

How'bout next one in Dub , or London , etc. ?





Some time ago I had put up a thread "Sniffles". It was a thread to educate clients and to dissuade them from visiting us

when they're feeling under the weather with a cold or flu.

But tell me this : how many of you still go to work and continue on with your lives when you just have a headache and

maybe a slight bellyache -- perhaps from a lively night the day before ??

Food for thought ?

Christ ... Stephanie ... after reading all Ur points there realy is only 3 thing left for us all to do ... 1) put Ur hands behind Ur head 2) put Ur head between Ur legs & 3) Then Kiss Ur Ass Goodbye ...

[Stephanie]

Another thing to remember is that there are a lot if incidents where treatment is refused by people who still rely on local witch doctors. Aid workers have been attacked in villages and not allowed to treat anyone there. As long as things like this continue to happen , it will be very difficult to get to grips with the virus.

To just quickly snap back to an earlier post re viral mutation -- I think you mentioned how people get a flu jab every season.

The reason people have to get a flu jab every season is because the flu virus is one of those that mutates rapidly.

Last year's vaccine would not be effective against this year's strain.

Some viruses are volatile (like flu/cold viruses) , others are more steady : Hep B for example. Hep A. Chicken pox.

Small pox (before it was eradicated). Rubella , Polio , etc.

Even HIV is a fairly steady virus compared to the flu.

The danger with viruses is that they constantly mutate. Imagine Darwin's Evolution theory on steroids :

With every generation there might be a slight change in the traits of an individual animal/organism , a slight change in

genetic makeup . Some of these changes will be beneficial to that organism and it will thrive / survive and carry on those

new genes , other mutations will be null or detrimental and that organism will be at a disadvantage and may die off.

Now if you look at this on the viral level , you may be talking about a new generation of organisms every single day

(within a single infected person) , or the very least every single time the virus travels from one host to another.

To try to put it simply : patient Zero in the current outbreak was a two year old little kid in Guinea , he became ill with

Ebola and died last year December. (<<< that was ten months ago !).

Ever since that original case , every time this strain of virus infected a new host (a new person becoming ill) , it had a

chance to mutate , and mutate it does.

As a crude analogy , imagine a blind man shooting an AK47 in an enclosed space. Eventually he will hit something , no ?

In the case of Ebola , the fear is that while this virus is 'shooting blindly' in its mutations , sooner or later it will hit the

target and may become truly airborne (like the flu or cold that we are familiar with : aerosolised particles can hang in the

air for an extended period of time , can travel on the slightest draft in a room , can infect someone standing 12-20 feet away).

At the moment Ebola is not as airborne as the flu , but it is airborne enough to infect you if you are in close proximity

of a person who is showing active signs of the illness. : fever , headache , upset stomach , etc.

And those symptoms sound just like an any- Sunday hangover , no ?

Would you go punting ? Would a bloke fresh off a plane go punting ?

Many would of course , and I think that's why awareness and public education and information is so important.

Look at what happens without it !

So long we don't have it in the country we are cool.

Can you predict if/when it will get here ?

[Stephanie]

Christ ... Stephanie ... after reading all Ur points there realy is only 3 thing left for us all to do ... 1) put Ur hands behind Ur head 2) put Ur head between Ur legs & 3) Then Kiss Ur Ass Goodbye ...

Imo awareness and being well informed goes a long way towards prevention.


When I'm back from Hols , I'm considering a mandatory temperature check before allowing entry to my abode

[SteveB]

Imo awareness and being well informed goes a long way towards prevention.


When I'm back from Hols , I'm considering a mandatory temperature check before allowing entry to my abode

Would it not be easier just to check for vomiting and bloody diarrhea?