Ebola.

[TheLovelyBoots]

I'm quite nervous. AIBU?

if that is true and he deliberately lied about his recent contact with Ebola then that is the most incredibly deceitful, selfish and malicious act. He could well be responsible for the deaths of those poor medical staff.

Innogen, he was said to be in absolute denial that his sister had it. There seems to be a barrier to accepting that it is a real risk to many people there for all sorts of cultural and social reasons. We just don't know what went through his mind at the time.

I do hope that there are plans to safeguard travellers who may end up stuck over there.

It's a little more complicated than that. There's a bit of confusion in the reports as to whether they actually knew for certain that it was Ebola that killed his sister when he took that flight. Although there was definitely suspicion of it. He also appears to have been massively in denial about the possibility while she was still alive.

Whilst it was certainly a very stupid thing to do, I'm not convinced it was a deliberately malicious act. Hopefully, given that these HCP were monitored from the point of contact with Patrick Sawyer it's been caught early enough that they stand a better chance of recovering.

Interesting article re those who trsvelled with and helped mr sawyer m.europe.wsj.com/articles/ebolas-threat-forced-nigerias-lagos-to-scramble-1406940469?mobile=y

Unfortunately, I think it's behind a pay wall. Can you give us a summary?

Yeah it wasn't but is now weirdly. It basically said all medical staff were on strike the day he collapsed in lagos, but that he was attended to efficiently and isolated quickly. All of 59 people on plane have been traced except for 8 who've gone missing. Luckily most were going to a conference so were easy to tr

I hate my phone. Anyway, as I was saying, most were going to a conference and were easy to trace and are under surveillance. No mention of 8 suspected cases, even though written today, only that 2 men who helped him into a wheelchair had become feverish this friday gone but tested negative to ebola but still being watched. Basically the article said lagos had done well...couldve been much worse had he been able to exit airport.

Thank you backinthebox, I respect your opinion and totally agree with you. My opinion is that all flights in or out of the affected countries should be stopped until this crisis is over? Why has a block on those flights not been made? My sympathies are with the airline crews who have to travel there, they don't know what they are taking on board for the return journey!

Bbc news is reporting that a man in Sudia Aribia (sp?) was being treated for Ebola type illness and has died. If so its the first case out side west Africa.

The WHO are holding a two day confrence and could declear a world emergancy. Im sure it sounds more worrying than it is but still I cant help thinking this very strange.........

My thoughts are with all the people and families affected xx

It does seem quite likely that there will be isolated cases here and there but think back to SARS. It had a CFR of around 10% overall. It spreads by droplets and is perhaps airborne. There were cases in 30 countries but in saying that there were just 8000 cases worldwide. Why? One of the big factors was the way the global community worked to isolate cases quickly.

I've been watching this outbreak since it began and have been worried since the first imported case in Nigeria. This thread and links to articles have been really helpful in calming me down (along with twitter feeds of informed science journalists etc mostly US or Canada based). I was on holiday in Scandinavia last week and just back in the UK now and catching up a bit with reports which is all pretty worrying, though am trying to avoid panic inducing comment threads. I know I need perspective, as I have a history of anxiety particularly around health so this is pushing a lot of buttons for me, but it does seem as though the situation in Nigeria is a concern. It seems from the additional cases today that procedures were not followed initially with the imported case and we should expect further spread. I am really hoping it can be controlled in Nigeria but I don't know if that is realistic. Does anyone know what difference it would make in practical terms if WHO do decide it is now a PHEIC?

We should have the answers to that tomorrow spacechimp when they have their press release. My guess is that it will open up the doors to a lot more funding being released for various countries and tighter border controls.

What greatly concerns me is somone coming over from infected areas, living as normal during the incubation period and then going to school or work at the onset of the symptoms not thinking they could have Ebola.

You can just imagine if this happened in a nursery or school.....where hygiene isnt great and there is close contact. There is such pressure not to take time off these days if people didnt appreciate they may be infected it could spread easily amongst children. Western countries could cope much better but the risk of exposure with returning travellers is definitely real.

Travel has been stopped now and there is more than 21 days till school starts. The illness is fast so as soon ad someone is ill they will not leave the house and gps are looking out for it and a smiple blood test can comfirm. Plus the bleeding from eyes would be a big sign not to send your child to school!

It would be airport staff and nurses/doctors that would be most at risk with first contact.

the pictures emerging from Liberia are awful. Relatives wanting to escape being quarantined are dropping bodies in the streets and disappearing.

It must be extermly scarey to be in the affected areas. Not only are you losing loved ones but you could be next and the govenment are sending soliders to keep you in the area. I can imiagen the people are feeling desprate and alone right now

Even if they do get it and live they have to stay in the area for 50 days

also health workers are too scared to work so clinics are closed...nowhere for poorly people/kids to get help with malaria and other injuries/disease

Agree - can't imagine how frightening it must be to be living in the affected areas. Have been reading blogs by MSF workers and have so much admiration for them and local healthcare providers. Have made a couple of donations to the emergency appeal and I hope they can continue to provide this essential work.

Even allowing for the appalling standards of science reporting in the UK media, the latest statements from the WHO are sounding rather more concerning.

Ive scared myself reading the sky news website. Peoplecocommening on stories saying they think ebola is already here and the government are lying to us.

I know im bieng paranoid but why has the WHO declared an international public health emergency if its not gone international ?

why has the WHO declared an international public health emergency if its not gone international

It has been international for weeks. Unless you don't consider Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria to be separate countries?

Ive worded it wrong I was thinking of all countrys.

Announcing an international public health emergency (because this is one) is not the same as announcing a global pandemic emergency (because this isn't one).

I think the phrase "international public health emergency" sounds far more scary that the composite parts.

International? Check. It is completely expected that cases of Ebola will arise in further countries in Africa, particularly those that would naturally host the virus, those most exposed in terms of the movement of people from affected countries and those with more fragile infrastructures/poor sanitation/etc.

This is, as I understand from the various reports, what the WHO mean by "international". As has been outlined here and on other threads, there is nothing to say that in the UK, it would represent a public health emergency, in terms of a massive outbreak/transmission event.

Public health? Check. This outbreak needs to be monitored and controlled at the level of entire populations.

Emergency? Check. Requires immediate action, both to treat and to control.

Sorry, that sounds like a lecture but was meant to be comforting

Thank you it is. Do you think it willcome to the UK ?