E-Bola

[Boom_70]

Surprised there is not a thread on this yet. I just heard about it
this a.m. and did not realize that it has become a global issue
and that there is a case in the USA.

Anybody concerned?

 

[Double Down]

A good piece to read if all you've heard is hysteria thus far.

http://www.vox.com/2014/10/1/6880393/ebola-virus-outbreak-disease-myths-facts-debunked-america

 

[Dick Whitman]

I don't understand how it's spreading if it's not airborne. You'll read stories about how someone was at a party or a funeral, and 10 people got it. How?

 

[MisterCreosote]

I can't tell if you're being serious or not, but: It is not airborne.

Viruses mutate all the time. But never before in the history of the world has a virus mutation resulted in a change in its method of infection. Never.

 

[YankeeFan]

Best to stay 6 feet away from an infected person:



it takes direct contact with bodily fluids to transmit Ebola. Blood, vomit, urine and diarrhea from very sick patients are highly infectious, but other body fluids like sweat, saliva, tears, semen and breast milk are also risky.

Direct contact means that the fluids splash or spray into someone else’s mouth, eyes or nose, or enter the bloodstream through cuts or breaks in the skin.

People can also contract the disease by touching infected fluids and then touching their eyes or mouth. The virus does not spread through the air, unlike measles or chickenpox. And Ebola does not invade healthy skin, so merely touching secretions does not mean an infection will follow. But washing hands or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is essential after any potential contact, to avoid spreading the virus to other people or to one’s own eyes or mouth.

Ebola does not cause respiratory problems, but a cough from a sick patient could infect someone close enough to be sprayed with droplets of mucus or saliva. Droplets can generally fly about three feet, so people dealing with anyone who may be ill are told to stand at least three feet away, preferably six. Being within three feet of a patient for a prolonged time, without wearing protective gear, is considered direct contact, Dr. Frieden said.

nyti.ms/10nlont

 

[Boom_70]

I don't understand how it's spreading if it's not airborne. You'll read stories about how someone was at a party or a funeral, and 10 people got it. How?

I think we've all seen the movie before. Hapless world health officials tell us not to worry and cite specific reasons why things won't happen and then they start happening.

The stories out of Dallas are anything but comforting.

 

[Dick Whitman]

I can't tell if you're being serious or not, but: It is not airborne.

Viruses mutate all the time. But never before in the history of the world has a virus mutation resulted in a change in its method of infection. Never.

I don't believe that it's airborne. I'm just surprised at how it spreads this quickly if it's not.

 

[MisterCreosote]

I can't tell if you're being serious or not, but: It is not airborne.

Viruses mutate all the time. But never before in the history of the world has a virus mutation resulted in a change in its method of infection. Never.

I don't believe that it's airborne. I'm just surprised at how it spreads this quickly if it's not.

It's not spreading quickly.

 

[Boom_70]

The official spokesperson for the CDC said not or worry. That's good enough
for me.

 

[Starman]

Start panicking harder.

 

[Neutral Corner]

Have you been in contact with the blood, mucus, vomit, urine or feces of someone with ebola?

If no, you are not at risk of infection.

 

[Dick Whitman]

I can't tell if you're being serious or not, but: It is not airborne.

Viruses mutate all the time. But never before in the history of the world has a virus mutation resulted in a change in its method of infection. Never.

I don't believe that it's airborne. I'm just surprised at how it spreads this quickly if it's not.

It's not spreading quickly.

I'm surprised it spreads without sex.

 

[Starman]

The official spokesperson for the CDC said not or worry. That's good enough
for me.

I presume you mean the same CDC whose budget has been slashed by sequesterization.

 

[Boom_70]

Have you been in contact with the blood, mucus, vomit, urine or feces of someone with ebola?

If no, you are not at risk of infection.

But articles I've read also say it could be sweat. So let's say someone with
the virus drops a glob of sweat on bannister is an escalator that you are riding.
You touch this sweat and then unknowingly touch you lip. Would that put
you at risk?

 

[Boom_70]

The official spokesperson for the CDC said not or worry. That's good enough
for me.

I presume you mean the same CDC whose budget has been slashed by sequesterization.

Why bring up politics? This has nothing to do with politics.

 

[MisterCreosote]

There have been a little more than 7,000 cases - almost entirely limited to three poverty-stricken African countries - since the outbreak began 10 months ago.

Compare that to the H1N1 outbreak from a few years ago. In its first two months, it infected nearly 20,000 people in the U.S. alone.

 

[Dick Whitman]

There have been a little more than 7,000 cases - almost entirely limited to three poverty-stricken African countries - since the outbreak began 10 months ago.

I understand. Please don't mistake me for an epidemic panicker. I'm the farthest thing from it. I just don't understand how this thing spreads, even to this degree. I come into contact with one person's bodily fluid's. My wife's Sometimes my 1-year-old's, but even then, not into my mouth, ear, or an open cut.

I'm surprised this spreads, even to the degree it has, without sex.

 

[3_Octave_Fart]

Lot of leading epidemiologists on this thread.

 

[RecoveringJournalist]

The national news won't stop with this until everybody is full-fledged panic mode.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Lot of leading epidemiologists on this thread.

I thought that you had given up your everybody-is-stupid-here schtick since your bosom buddy left/was booted.

I don't think anyone here is posing as an expert. It's been in the news. I think we're all fully capable of understanding the basic science needed to process what's being discussed here.