General News First Ebola case in USA

Oh great... :S.

 

I've wondered about this...though conditions in the US are vastly different then in Africa, I can see the danger of the disease getting a foothold in poor, densely populated urban areas, and moving on from there. And it seems a lot easier to get than AIDS, so it does make me a tad nervous.

 

As long as this person doesn't come into close contact with the general public then it should remain an isolated case - and ebola isn't an easy disease to spread - it isn't like the common cold. Plus, the US is a developed country - much better sanitation.

 

It is true; it spreads so easily in places like West Africa because the conditions there are so terrible. It wouldn't spread like that here.

There has been one case in Senegal since the outbreak started and it hasn't increased. If Senegal can prevent it from spreading, I think we can.

 

If you don't want to get ebola :
1. Wash hands regularly
2. Don't share food and drinks with strangers
3. Don't interact with any bodily fluid of a stranger

It's actually really simple to stay clean, and so many people are making this a bigger problem than it really is.

 

Huh, one thing that puzzles me: I've read it could potentially be transmitted via a sweaty handshake, say, if you rubbed you eyes afterwards. And then I read that it's transmitted mainly via fluids, breaks in the skin, and mucous membranes. But what I'm wondering: I've heard the virus can survive on the surface of things, even after the fluid it has dried...is this the case?

It seems like there's not enough education about this being done.

Also, when you see those haz-mat suits, it doesn't exactly inspire the greatest confidence in it not being 'all that contagious'. I mean, AIDS patients never were greeted with doctors wearing such gear, so that also makes me think it's easier to get than AIDS.

 

I'm pretty sure that if they wouldn't have brought the two people back from Africa whenever they contracted the virus, no one in the u.s. Would have it.

 

It is easier to transmit than HIV, but one big difference between the two, with HIV, you're contagious via all possible contagion vectors for the virus (basically blood and semen transfer) very quickly after infection, even though you may be asymptomatic for years. With Ebola, you aren't contagious until you start showing symptoms, and then basically all your fluids are contagious. Prompt hand washing will significantly help prevent infection if you've had a minor exposure, but due to the severity of the illness, and how contagious it is, a 3 week quarantine is still recommended. The strange thing about this outbreak is that it isn't quite as deadly as previous outbreaks. Previous outbreaks were generally near 100% fatal, and spread so quickly that they died out before they could take over as large of an area as this one has.

 

That it has appeared in the US is not surprising, it was bound to happen sometime. Nevertheless, all hospitals in North America have been advised to prepare for this eventuality, it can be easily contained (as it has been in previous outbreaks in Africa).

Meanwhile there are other public health issues that are not getting the press they deserve, such as the alarming rise in the number of cases of the far more contagious measles (due mainly to the anti-vaccination ideas being spread around like so much manure...)

 

Good point.

And then, we have millions more who can't afford to even see a doctor, due to not having insurance or money, and all of the problems this creates. Most of my friends who lacked insurance pre-Obama care still can't afford an extra $300-$400 a month for a policy, and also are being told they 'make too much' for help. But if you only take home $18 k or less after taxes, how can anyone really afford this much more a month for a policy that still has co-pays and deductibles that would be hard to meet, especially on an income even further reduced by such costs? Sadly, we have a horrible system in terms of coverage for the less fortunate, and the lower middle class in particular, in which people wait until an emergency arises as opposed to getting routine care, often with horrible results.

So looking at this in a fresh light, E-bola is much less a threat than basic human greed.

 

texas has been shit about handling this. i went from not concerned that it would effect me to really scared and anxious because i thought about it too much. fuck man i dont want to deal with this.....

 

I don't think we should worry about this, I mean not here anyways. We have safety measures in place which as of now make it, not very likely to come in contact with someone who is sick. Also unless you come into close contact with someone with Ebola you won't get sick

 

This happened in Spain earlier this year, and there's no disaster there, though I admit that Spain has a better health system in general than the US. I don't imagine it will become nearly as severe as it has in West Africa; the health system and hygiene standards of the US are of a much higher quality.

In any case, remember that far less dangerous diseases like Malaria carry a far higher death toll than the Ebola outbreak. Over 600,000 Malaria patients die annually, and only 3,300 have died in the current Ebola outbreak.

And there are other concerns as greatwhale and HuskyPup brought up.

 

When treating known infected patients doctors, doctors in third word countries will often opt to use protective suits and equipment, but for those who intending to be working on the ground for months, especially if their specializations are more geared towards offering vaccinations, setting up clinics, etc, most wouldn't necessarily walk around in plastic bubbles. Being vulnerable various diseases in day to day life has always been a risk of public health professionals that venture into these areas. It is merely part of the job.

 

Given that the patient actually traveled to Liberia and was in contact with sick people and then made his way to the US, I'm not surprised that this happened. Now, if he had not traveled abroad recently, then I'd be more interested/concerned about finding patient zero.

 

3 in recent times in Istanbul.

I don't think Turkish goverment neither equipment nor education to handle things like that. Soooo... we will see.

 

The only people I'm really worried about are first responders. We've basically been instructed by the government to question the travel history of any patients exhibiting flu-like symptoms because that's how ebola presents (prior to the hemorrhagic fever) for any calls between now and the end of flu season. So... multiple times a day.

If anybody is going to contract the disease, it'll be them.
General public really has nothing to be worried about.