Ebola now in the States : (

[BeachyKeen]

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?

From what I'm reading, it seems that there was a period from when Duncan was admitted to when he was diagnosed of around two days where healthcare workers may not have been wearing effective ppe, even though Duncan was very ill.

Hence I guess the CDC are warning there may be more cases from this man.

HTF did that happen? I can slightly understand the cock up with his trip to the ER and why those staff wouldn't have been wearing protective clothing. But it's my understanding that the girlfriend's sister had phoned the CDC which is what led to him being admitted the second time. (Not totally sure of the sequence of events here) They should have been taking all the precautions that they would use if he did have Ebola while they were waiting for test results.

BBC article today reporting a confirmed case in New York in a returning HCP.

NYC authorities say they are very well prepared; I hope eir confidence is well placed.

Let's hope they can handle it better than they managed in Texas.

I hope so too. I think the report that he went bowling while feeling a bit ropey isn't going to help fears there, even though it seems to be very difficult to catch in the early stages of displaying symptoms.

How on earth are these medical professionals catching it though? Surely they're completely covered up with the best safety procedures in place?

I don't understand.

The problem is taking off the kit. It's tricky not to get contaminated.
And I wonder if they do wear the kit 100% in the heat.
Besides, at some point there may be little tears in the fabrics.

For a better perspective, many more local medical personnel without protection have contracted the disease and have died.
Western doctors with protection have been less infected.

I think when we look at our own lovely modern hospitals it easy to forget what awful conditions these volunteers are working in. Very hot, very contaminated, minimal facilities. Of course there is the added factor that ebola is very widespread in the community in some parts, so they may not even be hospital acquired infections.

I don't understand why if you were returning from Guinea and had been in contact with ebola patients as this doctor in NY had, you wouldn't avoid the subway/bowling and similar for the duration of the incubation period. I know he was monitoring himself for symptoms but it doesn't seem possible to pinpoint exactly the moment you become infectious. Why take the risk for the sake of a few weeks activities?

Agree about the perspective! But I am mediaeval scholar, and so thank my lucky stars every day we live here, now and not then, and am acutely aware that most of the world does not have that luxury.
This is a wake-up call for all of us to actually notice what he reality is still like in most of the world. And we could do with a little less, to pend a little more on eradicating stuff that most people deal with on a daily basis.

I suppose it was bound to happen: Dallas man uses controversial Ebola hazmat scene for Hallowe'en decor

Only in America...(I hope)

Well, this company has been selling soft toy microbes for some years (and I bought an E Coli for a microbiologist friend of mine from the Blackwells at the Wellcome Collection).

This toy was not brought out because of the outbreak (long predates it) but alongside other nasties such as swine flu and MRSA, they do have Ebola