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Original poster

Ebola now in the States : (

114 replies

BeachyKeen · 01/10/2014 00:10

I don't see any other threads on this so far, sorry if there is already one.
So this afternoon/evening, it was announced there is the first case of diagnosed-in the-States Ebola.
Story here in the bbc link
From my understanding, the only risk is direct contact with the body fluids, at this point.
I do worry that with more and more opportunities, there will be a higher chance that the virus mutates to become air born.
Is this making anyone else nervous?

OP posts:
Original poster
BeachyKeen · 03/10/2014 16:37

Lweji, thank you for that link, I do feel better reading it. I am still shocked at the mismanagement in the American case. I read this morning about how the decontamination crew wasn't allowed to clear up because they didn't have the right permits. They also have to use an armed guard to keep the family in isolation because they wouldn't remain at home.

Loombands, I am very sad to read that. There are also all those who aren't being reported, left to manage on their own. I have in the past, and continue to support MSF and Red Cross.
Please understand, I have the ability to great empathy for a large number of people suffering in one area, and to be concerned that it is appearing in another area.
One doesn't exclude the other.

OP posts:
Greengardenpixie · 08/10/2014 18:15

Its all a bit worrying tbh. i do agree, that its only a matter of time. Now someone from Spain has managed to catch it...but from touching her face with a glove?? Doesnt seem to add up. Did she lick her glove then? Rub her eye? i thought it was bodily fluids????

OhYouBadBadKitten · 08/10/2014 18:31

She might have rubbed her eye with some contaminated fluid if she was cleaning up.

meditrina · 08/10/2014 18:36

A micro-abrasion would be enough - the infectious dose can be as low as a single virus.

meditrina · 08/10/2014 18:40

Back to the thread title: Thomas Duncan, the patient in Texas, died today

OhYouBadBadKitten · 08/10/2014 18:45

Poor chap. His poor family too, alongside all of those who are suffering from this disease.

Original poster
BeachyKeen · 08/10/2014 19:10

It was terrible reading about how his family were treated, with no where to go at first, everyone turning them away. I hope the rest of his family will be ok.

I am concerned about the nurse in Spain too, especially as you would think that the doctors and nurses would be the ones being most careful. She must be terrified.

OP posts:
Greengardenpixie · 08/10/2014 20:00

I cant believe that he had this and was basically said to go home with antibiotics from a doctor!!! I think the problem is that doctors were not prepared to actually see anyone with this. I think its very sad also that noone has bothered about it and now all efforts are being made as the disease reaches Spain. Its as if Africa was far away and it wasnt a concern.. It really is terrible.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 08/10/2014 20:11

We have been kindly given a new ebola topic from mn so that all of the discussions, which have pretty much been sensible can be gathered in one place. Hopefully it wont be needed for too many months. More of an explanation here and mn say that as long as owners of threads are happy they will move threads into the topic.

DecisionsDecisionss · 08/10/2014 20:13

I'm worried. Sky news says apparently the UK is the third most likely country outside of Africa to get an outbreak

OhYouBadBadKitten · 08/10/2014 20:22

Remember that even if we do get one or two imported cases, the chances of an actual outbreak are still very small indeed. Keeping remembering how successful Nigeria have been in containing their outbreak.

meditrina · 08/10/2014 21:57

There has just been a press conference in Texas, explaining that a patient taken to hospital today is being tested for Ebola.

The patient had been inside Thomas Duncan's apartment, but not much more info at the moment. (He's possibly a police officer, involved in enforcing home quarantine). He does not have full Ebola symptoms, but enought to trigger CDC screening requirements.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 08/10/2014 22:07

They've not been very sensible in Dallas. If reports are correct he went in without ppe.

honeycrest · 08/10/2014 22:44

The new possible patient in Dallas is one of the deputies that went to the apartment to serve the quarantine papers. If he does have it then obviously it confirms that having direct contact with an infected person who is symptomatic is not the only means of becoming infected.

Lots of officials were in and out of the apartment totally unprotected. Not to mention the family were leaving and having visitors and had sent the children to school after being advised to avoid contact with people. There could be even more possible infected besides the ones being monitored currently.

Hopefully it is just a false alarm.

scaevola · 08/10/2014 22:47

Lots of reasons to have flu like symptoms at this time of year. I hope it's a false alarm too.

honeycrest · 08/10/2014 22:48

Just remembered the Dallas judge at one of the press conferences saying he was still wearing the same jacket he wore in the apartment because there was absolutely no risk. Hmm

In a lab situation, ebola requires the highest level of protection, BSL4. To go into a contaminated apartment with not so much as a pair of gloves on is madness. It really hasn't been handled well by the Dallas authorities.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 09/10/2014 07:42

Yeah, he wasnt very sensible. However, as scaevola says he could just have a tummy bug or a fluey cold. Its right to quarantine him now until they know otherwise. As far as I know, at present none of those who were living with him in the apartment are showing symptoms and they are half way through the peak period for developing symptoms, so there may be reason for some cautious optimism.

EdithWeston · 10/10/2014 18:49

The test was negative, and he has been discharged from hospital.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 10/10/2014 19:00

The news about the people he was staying with has gone very quiet. I hope its because they are well and healthy. It seems to me such a contrast between the way they were treated and the way the deputy was. I may be being unfair. I expect they feel like they have to put on a big show of doing the right thing.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 10/10/2014 19:01

(he being Duncan - sorry, you arent mind readers!)

EdithWeston · 10/10/2014 19:07

I suspect it would be utterly impossible to keep news of a confirmed ebola case quiet. And, in US and elsewhere (outside west Africa itself) it seems that it's impossible to keep news that someone is being tested under wraps either.

So I'd go for 'no news is good news' on this one.

Lweji · 10/10/2014 23:23

According to CDC data of today, there's still only one case in the US, but they have suddenly woken up.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 10/10/2014 23:35

Agreed Edith. I'm sure the press are watching like a hawk.

scaevola · 12/10/2014 11:47

A secondary case has now been confirmed in the USA

The report says it is a health worker, who had been in contact with Duncan Thomas, but it does not say when nor whether it is someone who had been in home isolation.