To wonder why there isn't more resource being thrown at Ebola?

[Roonerspism]

There are now reports this outbreak could kill a million people in West Africa. It could mutate. Countries like Spain cannot contain it properly.

I don't understand why countries have been so slow to react. It could have been controlled so much easier had we responded sooner. Now we seem to be dealing with a catastrophe for Africa. What if it spreads to India? It seems likely to hit most countries, even if contained.

It seems unbelievable we have slept walk into this.

^This, unfortunately YANBU OP.

Bushmeat is considered a delicacy, which is why it is illegally imported and sold on the black market over here.

It's also one of the ways for Ebola to be transmitted, it's been the main source of outbreaks, and it's something that needs to be addressed here.

I had no idea that bushmeat was available in the uk, who would actually want to eat it?

Should we have closed the borders AND sent 1000s of people over there to help?

Think I see a problem there.

Bushmeat is available in street markets, especially in UK cities. It's very easy for illegal meat to end up here.

"Human-to-human transmission can occur via direct contact with blood or bodily fluids from an infected person (including embalming of an infected dead person) or by contact with objects contaminated by the virus, particularly needles and syringes.[17] Other body fluids with ebola virus include saliva, mucus, vomit, feces, sweat, tears, breast milk, urine, and semen. Entry points include the nose, mouth, eyes, or open wounds, cuts and abrasions.[18] The potential for widespread EVD infections is considered low as the disease is only spread by direct contact with the secretions from someone who is showing signs of infection.[17] The symptoms limit a person's ability to spread the disease as they are often too sick to travel.[19] Because dead bodies are still infectious, traditional burial rituals may spread the disease. Nearly two thirds of the cases of Ebola in Guinea during the 2014 outbreak are believed to be due to burial practices.[20][21] Semen may be infectious in survivors for up to 7 weeks.[1] It is not entirely clear how an outbreak is initially started.[22] The initial infection is believed to occur after ebola virus is transmitted to a human by contact with an infected animal's body fluids."

Taken from Wiki

The good news is

"Airborne transmission has not been documented during EVD outbreaks.[2]"

The bad news is

"They are, however, infectious as breathable 0.8– to 1.2-?m laboratory-generated droplets.[28] The virus has been shown to travel, without contact, from pigs to primates, although the same study failed to demonstrate similar transmission between non-human primates.[29]"

So a blood particle being sneezed or coughed at someone and then breathed in is risky. Let's hope our man in Madrid didn't cough on the bus then.

In terms of infectiousness is it a bit like MRSA then?

These various organizations are meant to consider all the possible outcomes of an outbreak, and this was an obvious one.

Yes, but they have been heavily criticised in the past for overreacting.

In fact, more people died worldwide of swine flu and probably will, than from Ebola.

The agencies are supposed to wake earlier than us, but the fact is that probably not by much. Most people thought the outbreak could be contained. And it is interesting that the OP is only now wondering if something should have been done.
News of the outbreak and how it was coming out of control and how it has spread to large cities have been around for the last couple of months.

Funny how the west have allowed dictators to dictate in Africa for years without any intervention yet they don't like it in the Middle East! Wonder why

I like the "allowed". :)
The west doesn't allow or forbid anything.

As for the Middle East, it has also "allowed" dictators for years.

Why oh why have Spain only quarantined 3 people? It is obvious that their containment measures were insufficient and have failed, as a nurse has caught it. Swift action to immediately quarantine any potentially exposed individuals (eg all other staff and patients from that unit, plus all family) could stop this mini 'outbreak' before it gets started. Watching and waiting for other staff to become symptomatic will widen the pool potentially needing quarantining and increase the likelihood that someone incubating infection travels. IMO this is one situation that warrants risking criticism of an overreaction. While we're at it, why were they using level 2 not level 4?

Because they probably don't have equipment for level 4.

In which case, why did they fly infected individuals to this unit the be treated?

I think (hope) that the Spanish quarantine figures refer to those who are taken in, isolated in proper wards and tested (ie any contact who runs a fever). They have about 50 'under observation' (as BBC describes it) which I think (hope) means home quarantine.

I saw a report (can't remember where) referring to both BL2 and BL4 in Spain. I think we'll have to wait for the full report to explain what happened on that.

I watch a programme about this the other day. It said that in the UK there is approximately 1 doctor to every 350 people whereas in the ebola region there is 1 doctor to every 70,000 people. I just can't get my head around figures like that. No wonder they are struggling.

If anyone is desperate for conspiracy theories it will be that people are flown out of the region to their native country so they can be observed and some pharmaceutical can come up with a drug. The US have just announced funds for drugs companies to search for a cure. This could make someone very rich.

There was a film about this. Creating a virus in order to come up with a cure and make millions? Was it a James Bond?

I think they ARE dealing with it in Africa and I'm surprised it hasn't got much further tbh, through international travel. They have lowered the Travel risk to Nigeria now. Perhaps it's not as contagious as Wiki suggests, or perhaps in Nigeria lots of people die without ever seeing a doctor and being counted. The wealthier live in compounds anyway and travel in cars.

Level 2 was used as that is what is recommended for Ebola in hospital circumstances at present - Level 4 is for airborne viruses and for working with these diseases in a laboratory setting. Level 4 is immensely hot and uncomfortable as you are fully sealed with a respirator. It's hard to work in, people often feel faint and its very clumsy. Level 2 allows people to work for longer and in a more 'human' way to people. Its just much more practical.

In saying that, I wonder if advice will now change.

Back in a bit.

I thought there was a cure but it's not at mass production stage yet. It's what was given to the nurse in the UK and the 2 in the US.

www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/what-need-to-know-ebola.pdf

Oh well that's great, it says can be spread via saliva into mucous membranes.

If that is the so then why are there not more cases?

Not much profit in curing third world diseases though Daughter, first world problems like depression, high blood pressure etc are way more lucrative

Not much profit in curing any disease though, surely? Long term conditions are the cash cow

Indeed Waxy, big pharma wants us all chronically sick with conditions which can be managed but not cured

liverpoollou - there is a promising drug - zmapp, but its not been tested in trials yet. Using it without trials was highly controversial but needs must. There are also other anti viral meds being used and serum from recovered patients.

I heard that the Spanish are treating it with antibodies from people who have recovered?

Id read that too Suzanne.