Posted on 08/10/2014 12:46:23 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe
I have spent a little time compiling links to threads about the Ebola outbreak in the interest of having all the links in one thread for future reference.
Please add links to new threads and articles of interest as the situation develops.
Thank You all for you participation.
Among the specific response efforts, the United States has:
Deployed to West Africa more than 130 civilian medical, healthcare, and disaster response experts from multiple U.S. government departments and agencies as part of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Disaster Assistance Response Team as well as approximately 350 U.S. military personnel, constituting the largest U.S. response to an international public health challenge;
Increased the number of Ebola treatment units (ETU) in the region, including supporting ETUs in Sierra Leone and Liberia, and one of our new ETUs in Liberia discharged its first four Ebola survivors last week;
Increased to 50 the number of safe burial teams, which are now working across every county in Liberia to safely and respectfully dispose of bodies;
Deployed and commenced operation of five mobile Ebola testing labs in the region, two of which opened this week in Liberia and have doubled lab capacity in the country—reducing from several days to just a few hours the time needed to determine if a patient has Ebola;
Provided more than 10,000 Ebola test kits to the Liberian Institute of Biological Research and Sierra Leone’s Kenema Government Hospital;
Received and passed to interested humanitarian organizations information from nearly 2,200 volunteers willing to provide healthcare in the affected countries;
Delivered approximately 2,200 rolls of USAID heavy-duty plastic sheeting for use in constructing Ebola treatment units across the region;
Procured 140,000 sets of personal protective equipment, 10,000 of which have already been delivered, along with hundreds of thousands of medical gloves and thousands of protective coveralls, goggles, face shields, and other personal protective supplies;
Delivered an initial 9,000 of 50,000 community care kits to Liberia;
Supported aggressive public education campaigns reaching every Liberian county with life-saving information on how to identify, treat and prevent Ebola;
Administered nutritional support to patients receiving care at Ebola treatment units and in Ebola-affected communities across the region; and
Provided technical support to the Government of Liberia’s national-level emergency operation center.
In the days and weeks to come, U.S. efforts will include:
Scaling-up the DoD presence in West Africa. Following the completion of AFRICOM’s assessment, DoD announced the planned deployment of 3,200 troops, including 700 from the 101st Airborne Division headquarters element to Liberia. These forces will deploy in late October and become the headquarters staff for the Joint Forces Command, led by Major General Gary Volesky. The total U.S. troop commitment will depend on the requirements on the ground;
Overseeing the construction of and facilitating staffing for at least 17 100-bed Ebola treatment units across Liberia;
Deploying additional U.S. military personnel from various engineering units to help supervise the construction of ETUs and provide engineering expertise for the international response in Liberia;
Establishing a training site in Liberia to train up to 500 health care providers per week, enabling them to provide safe and direct supportive medical care to Ebola patients;
Setting up and facilitating staffing for a hospital in Liberia that will treat all healthcare workers who are working in West Africa on the Ebola crisis should they fall ill;
Operating a training course in the United States for licensed nurses, physicians, and other healthcare providers intending to work in an ETU in West Africa;
Leveraging a regional staging base in Senegal to help expedite the surge of equipment, supplies, and personnel to West Africa;
Continuing outreach by all levels of the U.S. government to push for increased and speedier response contributions from partners around the globe; and,
Sustaining engagement with the UN system to coordinate response and improve effectiveness.
Domestic Response
We have been prepared for an Ebola case in the United States and have the healthcare system infrastructure in place to respond safely and effectively. Upon confirming the Ebola diagnosis, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and our interagency team activated plans that had been developed.
Our public health officials have led the charge to prepare and fortify our national health infrastructure to respond quickly and effectively to Ebola cases domestically. Their efforts include:
Enhancing surveillance and laboratory testing capacity in states to detect cases; in the last three months, 12 Laboratory Response Network labs have been validated to perform Ebola diagnostic testing throughout the United States;
Authorizing the use of a diagnostic test developed by DoD to help detect the Ebola virus.
Providing guidance and tools for hospitals and health care providers to prepare for and manage potential patients, protect healthcare workers, and respond in a coordinated fashion;
Developing guidance and tools for health departments to conduct public health investigations;
Providing recommendations for healthcare infection control and other measures to prevent disease spread;
Disseminating guidance for flight crews, Emergency Medical Services units at airports, and Customs and Border Protection officers about reporting ill travelers to CDC;
Providing up-to-date information to the general public, international travelers, healthcare providers, state and local officials, and public health partners;
Advancing the development and clinical trials of Ebola vaccines and antivirals to determine their safety and efficacy in humans;
Monitoring by the Food and Drug Administration for fraudulent products and false product claims related to the Ebola virus and implementing enforcement actions, as warranted, to protect the public health; and,
Issuing by the U.S. Department of Transportation, in coordination with CDC, an emergency special permit for a company to transport large quantities of Ebola-contaminated waste from Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, Texas as well as from other locations in Texas for disposal.
Passenger Screening
On top of these domestic measures, we recognize that passenger screening efforts in West Africa and at domestic airports represent another line of defense. We have developed and supported a stringent screening regimen both at home and abroad, and we are constantly evaluating the effectiveness of these and other potential measures. We will make adjustments as deemed prudent by health professionals and the appropriate U.S. departments and agencies.
Exit screening measures are routinely implemented in the affected West African countries, and U.S. government personnel have worked closely with local authorities to implement these measures. Since the beginning of August, CDC has been working with airlines, airports, ministries of health, and other partners to provide technical assistance for the development of exit screening and travel restrictions in countries with Ebola. This includes:
Assessing the capacity to conduct exit screening at international airports;
Assisting countries with procuring supplies needed to conduct exit screening;
Supporting with development of exit screening protocols;
Developing tools such as posters, screening forms, and job-aids;
Training staff on exit screening protocols and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) use; and,
Preparing in-country staff to provide future trainings.
All outbound passengers are screened for Ebola symptoms in the affected countries. Such primary exit screening involves travelers responding to a travel health questionnaire, being visually assessed for potential illness, and having their body temperature measured.
If a person has a fever above 101.5 or is suspected to be ill, the passenger will be taken aside for a more detailed health assessment – a secondary screening - to determine if he or she should be isolated.
Airport employees must wear latex gloves, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and monitor their own body temperature daily, among other measures.
Once passengers arrive in the United States they are subject to additional measures.
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the CDC have closely coordinated to develop policies, procedures, and protocols to identify travelers who may have a communicable disease, responding in a manner that minimizes risk to the public. These procedures have been utilized collaboratively by both agencies on a number of occasions with positive results. Among these measures:
CBP personnel review all travelers entering the United States for general overt signs of illnesses (visual observation, questioning, and notification of CDC as appropriate) at all U.S. ports of entry, including all federal inspection services areas at U.S. airports that service international flights.
When a traveler is identified with a possible communicable disease or identified from information that is received from the CDC, CBP personnel will take the appropriate safety measures by referring the traveler to a secondary, isolating the traveler from other travelers, and referring to CDC or public officials for a medical assessment. CBP personnel may don personal protective equipment (PPE), to include gloves and surgical masks, which are readily available for use in the course of their duties.
CBP personnel receive training in illness recognition, but if they identify an individual believed to be infected, CBP will contact CDC along with local public health authorities to help with further medical evaluation.
CBP is handing out fact sheets to travelers arriving in the U.S. from Ebola- affected countries, which detail information on Ebola, health signs to look for, and information for their doctor should they need to seek medical attention in the future.
Secretary Johnson has also directed Transportation Security Administration to issue an Information Circular to air carriers reinforcing the CDC’s message on Ebola and providing guidance on identifying potential passengers with Ebola. DHS is closely monitoring the situation and Secretary Johnson will consider additional actions as appropriate.
Amateur video - skip to 1:25 - 1:40
Breaking: Law Enforcement Reports LIVE on CNN that *3* cops are ill possible Ebola
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojS7mo5ZQDs
Published on Oct 8, 2014
The first two went in the Thomas Duncan’s Apartment w/o Protective Gear. The 3rd LE Officer drove the apparently infected Patrol Car, as I understand it. That is now 3 on the same day 1 died. The speaker on this clip is The Dallas President of the Fraternal Order of Law Enforcement. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all involved.
https://twitter.com/OutFrontCNN
OutFrontCNN @OutFrontCNN • 3h3 hours ago
#BREAKING: 2nd possible Ebola case; union rep. tells @ErinBurnett two other officers “feeling ill” on the same day the 1st US patient dies.
Marburg shows up in Uganda. Hemorrhagic fever thing in Venezuela. Congo hemorrhagic fever.
Outbreak of a different hemorrhagic fever in Sudan.
"Don't be afraid"
Latest list of countries & airlines restricting travel to / from West African Ebola countries - per internationalsos travel advisories:
Q: if African countries and others see the obvious danger, why the h3ll is our Fed, State gov’ts and airlines not acting accordingly?
A: our gov’t has Machevelian ill intentions - as heard in off the cuff comment in WH Presser - “we’re screwed”.
Travel Briefing
Entry restrictions
Cape Verde on 5 October prohibited the entry of all North Americans and non-resident foreigners who had visited the US in the past 30 days. Earlier, nationals of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Liberia on 19 September were banned from entering Cape Verde for the next three months. The authorities have also banned entry to all non-residents who have visited Ebola-affected countries, including Congo (DRC), in the past 30 days; on 1 September, Senegal was added to this list.
Cameroon on 17 September reopened its borders to travellers from Senegal. An 18 August ban remains in place on travel from Nigeria, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Mauritius on 12 September announced that it would restrict entry of nationals from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Senegal and Congo (DRC) unless prior approval was obtained from the Passport and Immigration Office.
Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states – Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe – have stated that travellers coming from Ebola-affected countries (according to the World Health Organisation, WHO) would be monitored for 21 days and that travel to member countries for any gatherings would be discouraged. The SADC provided no details as to how member countries will carry out the associated screening and follow-up and it is likely that countries will have individual processes. There are also reports that some countries require health documentation for entry. Travellers are advised to contact the embassy or health ministry of their destination country to clarify their individual circumstances and prepare their trips accordingly.
South Sudan has placed a ban on travellers coming from Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia or Congo (DRC), or those who have travelled to those countries in the preceding 21 days. According to the health ministry, entry of travellers from Nigeria depends on their travel history in that country and whether they have visited Ebola-affected areas.
Namibia’s foreign ministry on 11 September announced that foreigners travelling from countries affected by Ebola would be prohibited from entering the country.
Gambia on 1 September suspended entry of persons who have visited Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone or Nigeria in the 21 days prior to travel. Those travelling indirectly from any of the aforementioned countries to Gambia via another country also come under this measure.
Côte d’Ivoire announced on 23 August that it had closed its land borders with Guinea and Liberia.
Gabon stated on 22 August that it is restricting the issuance of entry visas to travellers from Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria on a case-by-case basis.
Rwanda, according to the US Department of State on 22 August, has banned entry to travellers who have visited Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone in the 22 days prior to travel.
Senegal on 21 August closed its land border with Guinea, while the country’s sea and air borders will also be closed to vessels and aircraft from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Chad on 21 August closed its land border with Nigeria at Lake Chad. The country previously reportedly banned the entry of any travellers originating or transiting through Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria or Sierra Leone, with airlines serving the country reportedly rerouting flights.
South Africa on 21 August restricted entry for all non-citizens travelling from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The government subsequently clarified that this was not a blanket ban and could be waived for ‘absolutely essential travel’.
Kenya on 19 August suspended entry of passengers travelling from and through Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, excluding health professionals supporting efforts to contain the outbreak and Kenyan citizens.
Flights and other transport
Countries that have implemented Ebola-related travel restrictions:
Gambia has banned the entry of flights from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Gabon has banned the entry of flights and ships from countries affected by Ebola.
Senegal has banned flights from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Cameroon has banned flights to and from Nigeria.
Chad has suspended all flights from Nigeria.
Côte d’Ivoire has banned all passenger flights from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Nigeria has suspended flights to the country operated by Gambian national carrier Gambia Bird.
Details of airlines that have restricted flights to Ebola-affected countries:
Air France suspended flights to Sierra Leone from 28 August.
The Togo-based carrier Asky Airlines has suspended flights to and from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Arik Air (Nigeria), Gambia Bird and Kenya Airways have suspended services to Liberia and Sierra Leone.
British Airways has extended their suspension of flights to Liberia and Sierra Leone until 31 December.
Emirates Airlines has suspended flights to Guinea.
Korean Air suspended flights to and from Kenya from 20 August.
Senegal Airlines has suspended flights to and from Conakry (Guinea) until further notice.
Other airlines have modified their routes but are still operating regular scheduled services. These include:
Royal Air Maroc
Brussels Airlines.
This military effort is already doomed by ROEs that are so PC....for example .....burial teams? They can’t even bury their own dead? Pleeeeese.
Please note with the Dallas County Deputy infection time line the following —
Oct 3 2014 they served papers inside the Apartment w/o PPE.
Oct 8 2014 the Deputy exhibits some symptoms consistent with Ebola.
Five days to active infection after Ebola contact is the highest incident day from the CDC MMWR infection chart posted up-thread.
Thank you.. that is the guy and that is what I saw...
Though there was a couple minutes more of the interview before she cut him off....
Bookmark.
thanks for the Vice links....
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/08/health/ebola-up-to-speed/index.html
Alex? Jessie?
Yeah, we saw that episode...
Bingo!
Fatigue is a huge factor, tired people make little, stupid, and in this case possibly fatal mistakes.
Every possible point of failure should be eliminated, so long as that does not compromise the results.
Especially for those working with hazardous materials, K.I.S.S. is a principle to live by.
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