It seems to me that the real issue would be where the first case shows up. If it’s *one* case and they go to a hospital early on, etc., it shouldn’t be bad. But if that first patient on American soil goes traipsing through several airports while coughing, vomiting etc., they could infect a number of other people along the way, who would all go home to their communities . . . . That prospect make me nervous.
Is there a link to the story? Am not seeing story at link provided.
Ever read Richard Preston’s book “Hot Zone” ? It’s based upon a true story of Ebola virus going airborn in a primate clearing house in Restin VA.
It’s a good read.
The link took me to the Forbes website but the story was not there.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottgottlieb/2014/09/03/can-ebola-go-airborne/
Wasted read. Just another person in denial.
I have been reading that yes, ebola can indeed vaporize and be transported through the open air in mists and droplets. The catch is the virus would have to still be somewhat recently produced and still high in potency even in aerosol form. Nurse Whitebol, the american woman who has managed to recover from the worst of Ebola may have caught it that way. Keep in mind how powerfully efficient the sneeze can be of the average adult.
Ebola has a mean virulence of 61%, killing a total 2603 out of 4235 people since records began. Virulence is the ‘case fatality rate’, the percentage of cases that lead to death. On this chart, color represents virulence from yellow (0% fatality) to red (100%).
The 2014 epidemic (outbreak 25) has killed more people than any other outbreak in history. But it’s not the most fatal: although it has the highest death toll and accounts for 44% of recorded cases, it’s ‘only’ killed 55% of those infected (1013/1848) and is orange on this chart.
With a 90% case fatality rate (128/143), the 2003 epidemic in Congo (outbreak 14) is the most virulent to date.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jvchamary/2014/08/13/ebola/
Any chance of a mutation so that it only effects Democrats?
A link to this thread has been posted on the Ebola Surveillance Thread
Hat tip goes to ElenaM.
we can isolate people in rooms but I don’t think there is an legal way to keep them in that room, nor any legal way to prevent visitors without gowns or gloves from wandering in and out of that room, using the public restroom and water cooler....
YES - YES IT CAN!
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/10/ebola-1989-outbreak/13860929/
Three Books:
Biohazard: Ken Alibek
Germs: Judith Miller
The Demon in the Freezer: Richard Preston
Very interesting...
They seen to be using the phrase “genetic drift” in the wrong way, to mean mutation itself.
The disease has a large viral load, which gives it more opportunity to mutate. And of course when more and more people have it, it has an even better chance of mutation.
Genetic drift would mean one mutation or more become isolated from the rest and in effect start their own form of the disease in a particular spot or situation.
Once it starts to ravage the gay community the “progressives” shall start to show concern.
Ebola reporting is just like the no WMD's found in Iraq reporting. Out and out lies.
Bring Out Your Dead
Post to me or FReep mail to be on/off the Bring Out Your Dead ping list.
The purpose of the “Bring Out Your Dead” ping list (formerly the “Ebola” ping list) is very early warning of emerging pandemics, as such it has a high false positive rate.
So far the false positive rate is 100%.
At some point we may well have a high mortality pandemic, and likely as not the “Bring Out Your Dead” threads will miss the beginning entirely.
*sigh* Such is life, and death...
There are several big advantages that Americans have over other nations.
1) Extremely good personal hygiene and public sanitation. During WWII, the US government launched a never ending program to teach Americans hygiene, sanitation, and decontamination.
2) Standoffishness. When the threat of epidemics hit, Americans quickly forgo mass gatherings like sports events, which are often officially banned early on. They also increase their personal comfort zone distance from others, and definitely avoid being around those who are sick.
3) Health authority obedience. Only a small, if vocal, minority oppose vaccination and other official remedies if offered. Those who are suspicious usually “button up” to try to preserve their health in isolation, which itself is effective.
4) About 10% of the US population has some degree of general immunity to epidemic pathogens, which goes back to their European ancestry and the black plague of the 14th Century. This also renders them partially or fully immune to HIV, influenza, the common cold, etc. The pool of those who are partially immune, who would catch the disease but get better, provides a potentially huge amount of available antibodies for everyone else.
What I have read about viruses is that just one of the protein strands that make up a virus can reweave itself to make a virus either give you the sniffles or bleed you out through every orifice.