To wonder why we aren’t worried about Ebola

[BirdieFriendReturns]

There’s a new outbreak in the Congo. Average death rate is 50%. It’s also highly virulent.

[geekone]

Because there is a vaccine 🤷🏻‍♀️

[nether]

Ebola isn't contagious until symptomatic, so a much easier beast to contain.

The transmission chains are fully understood; and transmission by body fluid takes considerably closer contact than transmissions by droplet

There are known, established and practiced containment measures.

Estimates of R0 have all been under 2, so even at height of outbreak , there was no exponential growth

And of course the vaccine

[SandieCheeks]

If someone is infectious with ebola you know about it - so it doesn't spread easily.

[zscaler]

There is no such country as ‘the Congo’. It is the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

And I expect people in Wangata are very concerned, but at the moment this outbreak (which is number 11 - outbreak number 10 is in its closing stages) is in the very early stages with only 6 confirmed cases. The WHO are offering on the ground support (in conjunction with the support they are also offering for Covid-19 and the current measles outbreak).

Ebola does not spread easily between humans. It requires direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood or bodily fluid of a person who has or who has died from Ebola. This makes it much, much less contagious than something like Covid-19.

So to answer your question - we aren’t worried for ourselves in the U.K. because there is virtually no prospect of us facing a threat from Ebola. But people living in the DRC and the Congo are presumably appropriately worried, and taking the necessary steps to minimise spread and treat people effectively.

[Wondergirl100]

Also because it hs a very high fatality rate it doesn't spread as far - it kills too many people so people aren't wandering around passing it on unknowingly.

Also unlike here - in the places that have Ebola they have well established public health programmes in place to track, trace where the epidemic has started and shut down the transmission.

[lydia7986]

It’s been going on in the DRC since 2018 - why would we be particularly worried about it now?

[BirdieFriendReturns]

I think this will be the next epidemic.



I imagine people will say I’m being silly but I’m worried.

[Quartz2208]

It has been an epidemic since 2018.

There was one in 2014-2016 as well which briefly did hit US and UK shores so you are a bit late to worry about it becoming an epidemic

[Iwouldlikesomecake]

Yeah you’re being silly.

There have been much, much worse outbreaks of Ebola. There have also been outbreaks that have been completely contained with few deaths (watch the film 93 days, it is quite true to the story it’s based on)

[BirdieFriendReturns]

People worried about Covid19 back in February were also told they were being silly.

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

You do know Ebola has existed for a while? Won’t spread like covid did across the globe

[walkingchuckydoll]

Well, you can worry if you want to of course. I'm not going to till it hits my country.

[PhilCornwall1]

I imagine people will say I’m being silly but I’m worried.

You are.

I guess with COVID-19 on wane and lockdown easing you want something else to panic about.

Didn't you see this all over the news in 2018? Sky couldn't stop banging on about it. Didn't you worry then?

[MorrisZapp]

Have you read your own thread? The reasons given surely explain why we aren't currently worried about ebola in the UK?

[BirdieFriendReturns]

I’m not worried about Covid19 but I am about Ebola.

[lonelySam]

@geekone there isn't an approved vaccine, they are all in the development / testing stages

[PhilCornwall1]

I’m not worried about Covid19 but I am about Ebola.

Fill your boots, I'm sure you're in the minority.

[Merryoldgoat]

I’m not worried about Covid19 but I am about Ebola.

Then you need to educate yourself.

You don’t transmit Ebola without being symptomatic.

It’s less contagious than Covid-19

Symptomatic people with Ebola are very unwell and unlikely to spread the disease everywhere unknowingly.

[Quartz2208]

Why are you worried? It’s is an epidemic in Africa and has been for awhile

Illness/virus have been around for ever

Even Covid19 hasn’t reached apocalyptic proportions

[SurreyHillsGirl]

I have enough to worry about at the moment, OP! I think I will put this one to the back of my mind.. along with the thousand other things I should probably be stressing about...

[BirdieFriendReturns]

I’ve only recently discovered radon too! One of our houses is in a high radon area. I’ve started to read more about it.

[Delta1]

May I suggest a glass of wine OP.

[BobbieDraper]

You realise there have bee contained outbreaks of Ebola rolling on in Africa for years, right?

Ebola outbreaks are localised and can be contained. We know everything about it. By the time you're infectious, you're ill. You arent transporting it around with you spreading it from town to town, city to city.

[PhilCornwall1]

I’ve only recently discovered radon too! One of our houses is in a high radon area. I’ve started to read more about it.

You panicking about radon? I've been living with that bubbling around me for 48 years.

[vanillandhoney]

@BirdieFriendReturns

I’m not worried about Covid19 but I am about Ebola.

Why are you scared of Ebola when it's treatable?