EBOLA MAIN EBOLA DISCUSSION THREAD 11/01/14 to 11/15/14

[Suzieq]

From Twitter:
@pablofoleyelias: Breaking: Spanish nurse #TeresaRomero who is now cured of #ebola will leave hospital on Wednesday.
https://twitter.com/pablofoleyelias/status/529600474862075904
------------------------------------------
@maggiemfox: A nasal spray #Ebola vaccine! http://t.co/uNQNztZsBk -
needle-free Ebola vaccine protects monkeys 100 percent of the time from the virus, even a year after they’ve been vaccinated, researchers reported Monday.

The vaccine uses a common cold virus genetically engineered to carry a tiny piece of Ebola DNA. Sprayed up the nose, it saved all nine monkeys tested for infection.

https://twitter.com/maggiemfox/status/529388625138425856
-----------------------------------------
@KOAA_5: At 5:00 p.m. we will live stream a Fort Carson town-hall meeting about soldiers fighting #Ebola in #WestAfrica
http://t.co/hPqB2rem4N
https://twitter.com/koaa_5/status/529417894879178752
------------------------------------------
@innercitypress: After listing many other countries, US Power mentions a Chinese plane- unloaded by American soldiers. #Ebola story soon
https://twitter.com/innercitypress/status/528180433234956288

 

[night driver]

Doc Grouch is an experienced ER doc in the Appalachians:

2048px-ebola_virus_virion
Doc Grouch sends:

So I have been trolling through the comments on the Ebola posts; these are the most common questions/concerns/issues:

1.Is Ebola going to end the world? Or is it a paper tiger, that will fall when faced with 'Murrican Medicine?
2. Is Ebola a fraud? (various definitions here)
3. Can Ebola go airborne?

1. Short answer:

No One Knows.

Let me repeat:

No One Knows.

No One.

And absent the gift of prophesy (which the Good Lord knows I would misuse on the next really big Powerball Jackpot), no one can tell you. Common sense dictates that it be treated like the weapon of mass destruction that has been for the last 40 years, until convincing and repeated evidence demonstrates otherwise. The mortality rate in Africa is equivalent to playing Russian Roulette with 5 out of 6 chambers loaded; the best of Western Medicine might take that to 1 out of 6; neither is a game I am much interesting in playing.

Longer answer:

Certainly an infection like this could prove catastrophic. West Africa, already notoriously corrupt and inefficient, has been hit so hard even the WHO openly acknowledges that the infrastructure is crumbling and their raw data is bogus. Liberia, in particular, is just about done as a country. Computer models project hundreds of thousands of cases (if not millions) in Africa, and as many as 130 cases here by January. (Note well that these computer projections are at the same level of evidence used to produce global warming predictions; please take with whatever size grain of salt you deem appropriate.)

However, no virus has a true 100% mortality rate. Some survive, always. The reasons are probably genetic in origin. A good example is the CCR5 mutation in HIV. CCR5 is the cell surface receptor the HIV virus uses to bind to and enter (later to destroy) immune cells; some small fraction of Europeans have a mutation that prevents entry of HIV into those cells, rendering them immune to HIV. We don't know of any specific mutations like that in Ebola, but we do know that some infected individuals do not show any symptoms with Ebola. We do not yet understand this, or what fraction of the infected are asymptomatic; in this case it would be very interesting to test all the close contacts of the known Ebola patients in America.

There are also some signals that First World medicine should dramatically reduce the mortality of Ebola; in fact, it would be hard to imagine how we could not. In the most recent NEJM article, a group of experienced physicians in Sierra Leone took on about 100 patients; the outcomes were miserable (such as, 94% mortality in patients over 45). However, I have been in contact with the author on a few technical points; in passing he notes that there was a great deal of trouble with "aggressive fluid therapy", which is the most important part of early Ebola treatment. By "problems" he meant: patients pulling out IVs, running out of LR or NS, no IV pumps, and no nurses (or anyone, really) to place and monitor IVs. None of these should apply in the US.

The tradeoff for First World medicine is First World cost. Caring for one of these patients is catastrophically expensive. Even in a major academic center, more than 1 of these patients will put that hospital in financial trouble; for smaller hospitals, even 1 may do it. Bellevue in NYC has had to transfer out its ICU patients, as they do not have the manpower to take care of a single Ebola patient and still cover an ICU. So the above mentioned projections of 130 patients (if accurate) would seriously strap the health care system. In addition, contacts I have in Texas indicate that Texas Presbyterian (a near-900 bed facility) is essentially empty; as of 2 weeks ago, the inpatient census was in the single digits; that hospital that has been sacrificed on the altar of Ebola. It almost certainly will go bankrupt; this is before the inevitable lawsuits alleging inadequate care (which included intubation and dialysis) for a noncitizen of this country. Best believe that hospital CEOs and CFOs are watching this quite closely.

(Allow me to be explicit: the fact that this hospital intubated and dialyzed this guy means they gave him the full court press--and did so to a non-citizen, without consideration of cost or personal risk. Just because they sucked at PPE does not mean they gave up on him, or gave him improper care.)

The other thing to note, is that we have done precisely Jack and Squat to contain the disease at its source. Source control is a fundamental concept in the management of any infection, and without it we will never truly be rid of Ebola. The Libs have told a partial truth in their insistence on this. Their additional argument that we must keep our borders open to not discourage aid workers is ludicrous on its face; making an exception for such workers is trivial, and with that should come a 21 day quarantine after they return.

So, while I do not think this will be a true extinction level event, the virus clearly understands Murphy's law much better than the political animals in charge; it does deserve some respect.

2. "Fraud" has had various definitions; some hold that the virus is a fake and no one is really sick, others hold this is some sort of false flag used to obtain further .gov advances into our freedom.

The disease is not a fraud, it is real, and thousands have died from it over the course of the last 40 years or so that we have known about it.

As to further power-groping, no one should be surprised if .gov does that. Haters gonna hate, Statists gonna State. And if they did not have Ebola, soon we would hear breathless reports of the Sun Rising In The East!, and then organized protests by the Society For The Installation Of A Solar Dimming Control, with the accompanying lib/enviro wackos shouting for more of our money to help them take more of our freedom.

3. Short answer:

Ebola has already been shown to go airborne, but the papers in question have flaws. Neither paper applies in nature; both might apply in weaponization of the virus.

Longer answer:

The dominant mode of transmission of Ebola is via contact with an infected person, or with something that person has soiled. It is probably spread by droplet, and may be spread airborne, but these are not the dominant modes.

Changing the dominant mode of transmission for a virus is genetically very, very difficult. It would be a similar feat if humans changed their dominant mode of mobility from walking to flying. Tricksy, my precious, very tricksy.

Humans fly all the time, however -- we get in a plane and off we go. This does not imply that we have sprouted wings and fly south for the winter, however. Ebola can fly as well -- put it in a mister and spray it on someone. This does not change its dominant mode of transmission, but the person who takes a face full of mist will get sick.

Dealing with the dominant mode of transmission for Ebola is wickedly difficult. Getting the PPE on and off correctly is hard. Watch Dr. Gupta put on and take off the stuff; folks, he's a honest to goodness brain surgeon, who has done this thousands of times. And he screws it up. The moral of the story is, deal with the dominant mode first, then the variations.

Can the virus mutate to become airborne? I guess; viruses mutate. I don't know if it will change that way; perhaps the first patient that is co-infected with influenza (a true airborne virus) and Ebola will give it a chance.

No One Knows.

 

[Sacajawea]

bump

I think the news will start up again, in a day or so.

 

[Doomer Doug]

HE, here is a longer version about the ongoing chaos in Sierra Leone. Note that the tidal wave of new cases is now coming in parts of the country that either had NO Ebola or a much lower number than the capital city. Yep, that whole seal the people in for three days and let Ebola spread uncontrolled has worked out real good don't you think?


http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/11/4/thousands-break-ebolaquarantinetofindfood.html


Thousands in Sierra Leone break Ebola quarantine to find food

Aid groups warn prohibitive quarantines will continue to hurt food provision and West African economy
November 4, 2014 1:29PM ET

Thousands of people in Sierra Leone are violating Ebola quarantines to find food because aid deliveries are not reaching them, international relief agencies said Tuesday.

While public health authorities have said restrictions on movement may be necessary to bring under control an Ebola outbreak unlike any other, the Disasters Emergency Committee, an umbrella organization for aid organizations, warned that they were cutting off food to thousands of people.

"The quarantine of Kenema, the third largest town in Sierra Leone, is having a devastating impact on trade — travel is restricted so trucks carrying food cannot freely drive around," the committee said in a statement. "Food is becoming scarce, which has led to prices increasing beyond the reach of ordinary people."

Because services are not reaching quarantined neighborhoods, people who are being monitored for signs of Ebola — and should be staying at home — are venturing out to markets to look for food, potentially contaminating many others, said Jeanne Kamara, Christian Aid's Sierra Leone representative.

The announcement comes weeks after aid groups such as Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned against the unwarranted use of quarantines and travel restrictions that would hurt economies, upset trade routes and reduce people's trust in government authorities who sealed off large swaths of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea to prevent the spread of Ebola.

The Sierra Leone government, with help from the United Nations' World Food Program (WFP), delivers food and other services to those under quarantine. But there are many "nooks and crannies" in the country — remote villages and communities — that are being missed, Kamara added.

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has killed nearly 5,000 people and authorities have gone to extreme lengths to bring it under control. Sierra Leone said Tuesday that it would maintain a state of emergency, which includes restrictions on large gatherings, in place for a full year. Restrictions on movement and gatherings have also been used in Liberia and Guinea, the two other countries hardest hit by the epidemic.

When houses are put under quarantine in various neighborhoods in Sierra Leone, teams are supposed to go to them to identify their needs, Christian Aid's Kamara said: How many people are living there? Are there pregnant women or sick people with special needs?

But Kamara said that with the infections still increasing quickly, it was difficult for the government to keep up with the number of people being monitored for the disease. The Sierra Leone outbreak has shifted in recent weeks, with the number of new cases ballooning in the country's western and northern districts, far from where the outbreak began, in the country's east.

"The number is just rising exponentially," she said. "The speed with which we have to have such a robust system of planning and coordination" is too fast.

In October, the WFP fed more than 450,000 people in Sierra Leone, including people who are under quarantine or being treated for Ebola, said Alexis Masciarelli, a spokesman for the agency. The distribution of food has been difficult, he said, since it has required bringing food to remote areas by poor roads. Pick-up trucks have driven around some communities to do door-to-door handouts.

He acknowledged that getting good information about where people need help is difficult, but he said WFP asks smaller organizations, with deep connections to the communities, to help them keep track of a fast-moving situation.

Al Jazeera and The Associated Press

 

[JohnGaltfla]

The elections are over.

Obama is mad.

Look for people from Sierra Leone bleeding from their butts to show up at hospitals near you.

 

[JohnGaltfla]

C DHHS ‏@ncdhhs 1m1 minute ago

UPDATE: Additional Testing Confirms a Negative Result for Ebola for Patient at Duke University Hospital. For more: http://bit.ly/1uy31cm

 

[Doomer Doug]

John, 100,000 cases in Dallas by the weekend I'd say!

 

[JohnGaltfla]

John, 100,000 cases in Dallas by the weekend I'd say!

LOL, I wouldn't put that past old Mussolini in drag, that's for sure!

 

[WestGardener]

Australia must explain Ebola visa ban: WHO

November 6, 2014 - 7:47AM
Read later
Australia and Canada have been asked to justify their decisions to suspend migration from Ebola-hit West African countries.

Geneva: The World Health Organisation has asked Australia and Canada to justify their decisions last week to suspend migration from Ebola-hit West African countries.

"These are measures that go beyond the recommendations of the WHO's emergency committee," Isabelle Nuttall, who heads WHO's alert and response department, told AFP on Wednesday.

Australia on October 27 became the first Western nation to suspend migration from Ebola-hit West African nations, and Canada followed suit four days later.

The two countries said the moves were needed to ensure that the deadly virus, which has killed about 5000 people mainly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone does not surface within their borders.


But Dr Nuttall pointed out that the UN's health agency had recommended only exit screening for people leaving the hardest-hit nations and did not think blocking entry to all their residents was a good way to fight the raging epidemic.

The WHO asks any country putting in place measures that interfere with international travel to justify the move from a scientific and public perspective.

Such requests had been sent to Canada and Australia and a range of other countries that have put in place similar measures, Dr Nuttall said.

Instead of closing borders, Dr Nuttall said, the best way to fight the epidemic was on the ground in West Africa.

"We have to make sure the three countries are conducting exit screening, and the rest of the world must remain vigilant so cases can be detected if they show up in other countries," she said.

Dr Nuttall said that blanket visa suspensions could give countries a "false sense of security", warning it could even push "uncontrolled immigration" from the affected areas, "which is much riskier".

She also cautioned that such measures made the response to the outbreak more difficult, since it complicated travel to and from the affected countries for aid workers.

And they put additional pressure on the countries already being ravaged by the outbreak.

"The burden that they have to face is more than enough," she said.


http://www.theage.com.au/world/australia-must-explain-ebola-visa-ban-who-20141105-11hkdj.html

 

[Milk-maid]

Dear W.H.O.


Really??

How about you understand this... we don't want our people to end up being infected. PERIOD.


Signed; wish our leaders had the common sense to do the same.

 

[WestGardener]

I would not want nor trust suits from China. These are the people who cannot make dog food without poisoning them.

Chinese Factory Steps up Production of Ebola Suits

MOSCOW, November 5 (RIA Novosti) - The Associated Press reports that 6,000 protective Ebola suits are being made every day in a Chinese factory, which has plans to double that number by January.
"We are very proud that the protective suits we manufacture can be used by those who are fighting against Ebola," the AP reports factory general manager Wang Ximin as saying.
Wang explained that demand for the yellow suits is 30 to 40 percent higher than last year, which are exported to West Africa for use by medics, as well as to the US and Europe. The factory in the eastern Shandong province has a contract with the US company Lakeland Industries to produce the clothing, which is completely sealed with both thread and glue to create an impermeable barrier between the wearer and the patient.
Last month, USAToday reported that the WHO estimates a monthly need for 300,000 of the hazardous materials suits, also known as hazmat, with a possible 3 million suits to be used in the following nine months. The channel also said that another supplier of protective gear, DuPont, has more than tripled its production of products for the treatment of Ebola. The company was quoted as saying, "DuPont is deeply concerned for those impacted by the Ebola outbreak and we have been working since its onset to assist in the response effort."
The Ebola outbreak has seen stock prices of companies like Lakeland spike with news of new infections. In October, CBS News reported that Lakeland, along with Alpha Pro Tech and Versar, two other manufacturers of the suits, experienced stock market spikes of 10, 14 and 65 percent respectively the day after two health workers in Texas were announced as having been infected with Ebola.
However, the suits have to be used correctly in order to be effective. After the diagnosis of the two nurses infected with Ebola in Dallas, fears grew about transmission despite the use of protective gear, which is hard to take off. "It is very difficult to get out of them without accidentally contaminating yourself, unless you do it perfectly," Mark Jarrett, chief quality officer at the North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System in New York told AFP.
The director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that training and education in using protective equipment needed to be improved, telling the Wall Street Journal: “We have to rethink how we address infection control.” The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control last week released detailed guidelines along with a video tutorial on how to use protective equipment like the hazmat suit effectively.

http://en.ria.ru/business/20141106/195175051/Chinese-Factory-Steps-up-Production-of-Ebola-Suits.html

 

[Medical Maven]

No warnings from now on. You are on your own.



Report: Obama Administration Pressured News Outlets to Not Report Suspected Ebola Cases
Posted by Jim Hoft on Thursday, November 6, 2014, 8:20 AM
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/201...-outlets-to-not-report-suspected-ebola-cases/



Ebola be Gone!
At the urging of the Obama Administration, the Associated Press and other news outlets have agreed not to report on suspected cases of Ebola in the United States until a positive viral RNA test is completed.

The administration and liberal activists were upset with coverage in the run-up to the midterm elections.

Fox News Ends Ebola Coverage: ‘Our Work Is Done’ http://t.co/makWWRCLiH via @BorowitzReport

— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) November 5, 2014

Who said political hack Ron Klain was not a good pick for Ebola czar?

In case you haven’t noticed… Media outlets are no longer reporting on suspected Ebola cases at the urging of the Obama administration.
Downtrend reported:

There is a reason why Obama didn’t pick an Ebola Czar with any actual medical experience when he tabbed longtime Democrat party hack Ron Klain who is a lobbyist. The real danger was never that the foolish policies of Barry and the boys were exposing Americans to Ebola but rather the political implications of it all. So the sudden departure of Ebola stories from the state-corporate media doesn’t pass the smell test. Interestingly the website of Forbes has a story that reports:

The Associated Press and other press outlets have agreed not to report on suspected cases of Ebola in the United States until a positive viral RNA test is completed.

That damning line is buried deep in the article so anyone can be excused for not noticing it – they aren’t supposed to.

 

[WestGardener]

No warnings from now on. You are on your own.



Report: Obama Administration Pressured News Outlets to Not Report Suspected Ebola Cases
Posted by Jim Hoft on Thursday, November 6, 2014, 8:20 AM
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/201...-outlets-to-not-report-suspected-ebola-cases/



Ebola be Gone!
At the urging of the Obama Administration, the Associated Press and other news outlets have agreed not to report on suspected cases of Ebola in the United States until a positive viral RNA test is completed.

The administration and liberal activists were upset with coverage in the run-up to the midterm elections.

Fox News Ends Ebola Coverage: ‘Our Work Is Done’ http://t.co/makWWRCLiH via @BorowitzReport

— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) November 5, 2014

Who said political hack Ron Klain was not a good pick for Ebola czar?

In case you haven’t noticed… Media outlets are no longer reporting on suspected Ebola cases at the urging of the Obama administration.
Downtrend reported:

There is a reason why Obama didn’t pick an Ebola Czar with any actual medical experience when he tabbed longtime Democrat party hack Ron Klain who is a lobbyist. The real danger was never that the foolish policies of Barry and the boys were exposing Americans to Ebola but rather the political implications of it all. So the sudden departure of Ebola stories from the state-corporate media doesn’t pass the smell test. Interestingly the website of Forbes has a story that reports:

The Associated Press and other press outlets have agreed not to report on suspected cases of Ebola in the United States until a positive viral RNA test is completed.

That damning line is buried deep in the article so anyone can be excused for not noticing it – they aren’t supposed to.

This is exactly what i feared would happen we are truly on our own. "The Associated Press and other press outlets have agreed not to report on suspected cases of Ebola in the United States until a positive viral RNA test is completed" is a farce we will not hear about any more cases. For the one's that do test positive they will cite HIPPA confidentiality law.

 

[Doomer Doug]

Here is more bad news from Sierra Leone. Ebola is now totally out of control in West Africa. It is spreading into North Africa in Mali. The second separate Ebola outbreak in the DRC is also gaining steam and starting to spread. South Africa, Sudan and several other African countries are "monitoring" potential Ebola cases.

Whatever happens in the rest of the world, the USA and Europe, Ebola is going to pound Africa back a few decades. Africa will be completely different three to five years from now. I don't see how Africa can avoid multiple millions, potentially multiple tens of millions dead at this point.



http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/04/ebola-outbreak-sierra-leone

New Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone raises fears of new infection chain

Koinadugu had prided itself on being the only area to have kept Ebola at bay by operating self-imposed quarantine system
A family home under quarantine in the Port Loko district of Sierra Leone, where the Ebola outbreak is widespread.
A family home under quarantine in the Port Loko district of Sierra Leone, where the Ebola outbreak is widespread. Photograph: Michael Duff/AP

Lisa O'Carroll

Tuesday 4 November 2014 13.06 EST



A fresh outbreak of Ebola in a part of Sierra Leone where the virus was thought to have been contained has raised fears of a new, uncontrolled infection chain that could send the death toll soaring.

A Red Cross ambulance team was sent to the remote district of Koinadugu, which had prided itself on being the only area to have kept Ebola at bay, on Tuesday to urgently collect 30 corpses for medical burial.

The outbreak is a major setback for the Ebola response force and the district, which two weeks ago remained resolved to control the spread of the virus that has officially infected 5,338 people and claimed 1,510 lives in the country.

Koinadugu has been operating a self-imposed quarantine for four months, thanks to the intervention of an expat businessman, Momah Konte, who returned from Washington and worked with local officials and tribal chiefs to try to prevent the spread.

The Red Cross said the emergency burial team was making the five-hour journey from Freetown on Tuesday to collect the bodies in the Nenie chiefdom east of the district’s capital Kabala.

A spokesman said that there were reports of a further 25 ill with Ebola and another 255 being monitored after coming into contact with the dead and the sick.

 

[Cascadians]

I read a report this morning that said there are now actually more not-Ebola deaths (for real) in Africa because Ebola has caused such a lack of medical personnel, shut-down of clinics and fear that ppl are dying of other things because the medical system has collapsed.

The fact that Ebola destroys a country's health care system due to overwhelming procedures, cost and personnel getting infected is one of the scariest aspects of Ebola's ability to spread out of control.

 

[WestGardener]

I read a report this morning that said there are now actually more not-Ebola deaths (for real) in Africa because Ebola has caused such a lack of medical personnel, shut-down of clinics and fear that ppl are dying of other things because the medical system has collapsed.

The fact that Ebola destroys a country's health care system due to overwhelming procedures, cost and personnel getting infected is one of the scariest aspects of Ebola's ability to spread out of control.

Exactly!! and it would collapse or medical system when it gets a strong foothold here.

 

[Doomer Doug]

I posted a while back that we are looking a cluster of Ebola related deaths in Africa. The Ebola epidemic is going to cause additional, separate deaths for a variety of reasons. People are going to die from other medical issues due to the collapse of the health care system in West Africa. They are going to die in the social anarchy, riots and chaos unleashed as the government and military collapse. They are going to die from starvation as the food production, distribution and transport systems collapse.

I think the total who will die as a consequence of the Ebola epidemic will be several times higher than those who die from "Ebola."

I also think the official numbers of five thousand dead are short by a factor of four. The "official" numbers of Ebola infected are also off by a factor of four. when you add in all the rest of the deaths, from riots, from other medical issues being untreated, and from starvation, you are going to likely increase the "official" Ebola death numbers by a factor of six to eight.

 

[Doomer Doug]

The latest disinformation and under counted Ebola data from the corrupt WHO in West Africa from Rhiza Labs FluTracker Forum

http://fluboard.rhizalabs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12900


WHO Nov 5 Ebola Road Map - Declining Numbers <THIS IS BS!!!!!! SIERRA LEONE IS REPORTING HUNDREDS/THOUSANDS OF NEW CASES IN NEW AREAS, OR AREAS THAT EBOLA HAD BEEN "CONTAINED" IN.>



Post subject: WHO Nov 5 Ebola Road Map - Declining Numbers
PostPosted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 7:20 pm

WHO Nov 5 Ebola road map continues to report declining number

_________________

SUMMARY < MULTIPLY ALL NUMBERS BELOW BY FOUR TO GET THE REAL NUMBER OF EBOLA CASES AND DEATHS>
A total of 13 042 confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) have been reported in six
affected countries (Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Spain and the United States of America) and two previously
affected countries (Nigeria and Senegal) up to the end of 2 November. There have been 4818 reported deaths.
The outbreaks of EVD in Senegal and Nigeria were declared over on 17 October and 19 October 2014, respectively.
At the country level, the weekly incidence appears to be stable in Guinea. In Sierra Leone the weekly incidence
continues to rise, while in Liberia it appears to be declining. In all three countries, EVD transmission remains
persistent and widespread, particularly in the capital cities. All administrative districts in Liberia and Sierra Leone
have reported at least 1 confirmed or probable case of EVD since the outbreak began. Cases and deaths continue
to be under-reported in this outbreak.

_________________

Top
COUNTRIES WITH WIDESPREAD AND INTENSE TRANSMISSION
A total of 13 015 confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of EVD and 4808 deaths have been reported up to the
end of 2 November 2014 by the Ministries of Health of Guinea and Sierra Leone, and 31 October by the Ministry
of Health of Liberia (table 1).
Table 1: Confirmed, probable, and suspected cases in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone
Country Case definition Cumulative Cases Cases in past 21 days Cumulative deaths
Guinea
Confirmed 1457 247 837
Probable 204 9 204
Suspected 70 * 0
All 1731 256 1041
Liberia
Confirmed 2451 19 *
Probable 1627 379 *
Suspected 2447 * *
All 6525 398 2697
Sierra Leone
Confirmed 4057 1160 893
Probable 79 14 142
Suspected 623 * 35
All 4759 1174 1070
Total 13 015 1828 4808
Data are based on official information reported by ministries of health. These numbers are subject to change due to ongoing reclassification,
retrospective investigation and availability of laboratory results. The fewer cases reported this week compared with the Situation Report of
29 October is due to a change in the use of data sources. In this report, the cumulative total numbers of cases and deaths nationally (table 1)
and by district (figures 1-3) are identical to those presented in situation reports compiled by ministries of health and WHO country offices.
Previously, these totals were derived from a combination of patient databases and country situation reports. The revised approach unifies
the totals presented in this report with those given in national reports. *Data not available.

 

[blueridge]

Just read a short article that suggested "...Ebola is a manageable disease...".

Probably a true statement - if you've got enough body bags!

 

[bev]

In order to agree with something, one must be informed about it BY someone. I've yet to find out WHO that person is. I don't believe that all members of MSM in the US just got together and "agreed" with each other not to report on suspected EBOLA cases. They were TOLD to agree!

BY WHOM????

Do you KNOW WHAT THIS "AGREEMENT by the media "NOT TO PUBLICIZE" MEANS?
It means that people "suspected" of being exposed to. or having Ebola, or "at risk" to develop Ebola CAN BE DISAPPEARED into a "controlled monitoring environment" or quarantine, or isolation for as long as those in authority desire, SUBSTANTIALLY, WITHOUT ANYONE KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM. Nor will there be any publicity when they are released, if they "did not test positive".

 

[4RIVERS]

Just read a short article that suggested "...Ebola is a manageable disease...".

Probably a true statement - if you've got enough body bags!

It has been managed, in the past, in small villages, where it would kill everyone off or the people would flee and die in the jungle, but not in a large city full of slums. It is not going to be contained in West Africa and will likely keep expanding.

 

[bev]

I see Medical Maven provided the obvious answer to my question of WHO told reporters not to report.

But, what would have been the response if reporters did NOT agree, and continued to report?

It's not bad enough that Obola continues to expose our country to more EBOLA carriers. Now he's decided it would be best if we were not informed of the dangers we face.

We had all pretty much drawn our lines in the sand, and decided that at that point (EBOLA in my state, EBOLA in my county), we would put our protection plans into action. Now, we will have no idea when to do that!

What idiots we have in DC!

No warnings from now on. You are on your own.



Report: Obama Administration Pressured News Outlets to Not Report Suspected Ebola Cases
Posted by Jim Hoft on Thursday, November 6, 2014, 8:20 AM
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/201...-outlets-to-not-report-suspected-ebola-cases/



Ebola be Gone!
At the urging of the Obama Administration, the Associated Press and other news outlets have agreed not to report on suspected cases of Ebola in the United States until a positive viral RNA test is completed.

The administration and liberal activists were upset with coverage in the run-up to the midterm elections.

Fox News Ends Ebola Coverage: ‘Our Work Is Done’ http://t.co/makWWRCLiH via @BorowitzReport

— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) November 5, 2014

Who said political hack Ron Klain was not a good pick for Ebola czar?

In case you haven’t noticed… Media outlets are no longer reporting on suspected Ebola cases at the urging of the Obama administration.
Downtrend reported:

There is a reason why Obama didn’t pick an Ebola Czar with any actual medical experience when he tabbed longtime Democrat party hack Ron Klain who is a lobbyist. The real danger was never that the foolish policies of Barry and the boys were exposing Americans to Ebola but rather the political implications of it all. So the sudden departure of Ebola stories from the state-corporate media doesn’t pass the smell test. Interestingly the website of Forbes has a story that reports:

The Associated Press and other press outlets have agreed not to report on suspected cases of Ebola in the United States until a positive viral RNA test is completed.

That damning line is buried deep in the article so anyone can be excused for not noticing it – they aren’t supposed to.

 

[JohnGaltfla]

I posted a while back that we are looking a cluster of Ebola related deaths in Africa. The Ebola epidemic is going to cause additional, separate deaths for a variety of reasons. People are going to die from other medical issues due to the collapse of the health care system in West Africa. They are going to die in the social anarchy, riots and chaos unleashed as the government and military collapse. They are going to die from starvation as the food production, distribution and transport systems collapse.

I think the total who will die as a consequence of the Ebola epidemic will be several times higher than those who die from "Ebola."

I also think the official numbers of five thousand dead are short by a factor of four. The "official" numbers of Ebola infected are also off by a factor of four. when you add in all the rest of the deaths, from riots, from other medical issues being untreated, and from starvation, you are going to likely increase the "official" Ebola death numbers by a factor of six to eight.

 

[jed turtle]

i've posted some info that was sent to me by a friend in UNEXPLAINED here:
"Is Ebola a Hoax?"
http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?458496-is-ebola-a-hoax

here again, there is a definition involved, wherein the one making the allegation indicates that only those who have been vaccinated (for what?) get the "ebola". who's to know? it won't be me going over there to get to the bottom of it.

it might explain why we don't have raging outbreaks in Lagos, Nigeria, and Dallas, Texas, and New York City, that we know of. yet. if and when "that" happens, then i know this particular "woo-woo" was nothing but woo-woo. until then, everything i know about it suggests that this is NOT the "ebola" that we've seen for decades over in the Congo, where the incubation rate is MUCH SHORTER than this current outbreak. too many questions. too much stonewalling and changing of declarations of fact by the CDC to have much confidence in the "experts"...

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

http://www.utexas.edu/news/2014/11/03/ebola-vaccine/
(fair use applies)

Inhaled Ebola Vaccine May Offer Long-Term Protection from Virus
Nov. 3, 2014

AUSTIN, Texas — A potentially breathable, respiratory vaccine in development has been shown to provide long-term protection for non-human primates against the deadly Ebola virus, as reported this week in the online edition of the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics.

Results from a recent pre-clinical study represent the only proof to date that a single dose of a non-injectable vaccine platform for Ebola is long lasting, which could have significant global implications in controlling future outbreaks. A breathable vaccine could surmount the logistical obstacles of storing, transporting and administering injectable vaccines in parts of Africa most afflicted by the virus.


Professor Maria Croyle and graduate student Kristina Jonsson-Schmunk of The University of Texas at Austin’s College of Pharmacy, who co-authored the paper with Dr. Gary Kobinger and his team at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, will make a presentation on the newly published work in San Diego Nov. 5 at the 2014 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting and Exposition, the world’s largest pharmaceutical sciences meeting.

The Ebola virus is an often fatal illness that is spread among the human population via direct contact with blood or bodily fluids from an infected individual. The current Ebola outbreak in Western Africa is the largest and most complex epidemic since the virus was first discovered in 1976, according to the World Health Organization. With a fatality rate currently as high as 70 percent, officials are declaring this outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

Croyle, Jonsson-Schmunk and colleagues worked over seven years to develop a respiratory formulation that improved survival of immunized non-human primates from 67 percent to 100 percent after challenge with 1,000 plaque forming units of Ebola Zaire 150 days after immunization.

This improvement is statistically significant because only 50 percent of the primates given the vaccine by the standard method of intramuscular injection survived challenge.

Ebola causes devastating outbreaks with fatality rates of 25 to 90 percent in Africa and Asia. Although progress has been made in understanding the virus’ biology, no licensed vaccines or treatments currently exist, noted the researchers.

“There is a desperate need for a vaccine that not only prevents the continued transmission from person to person, but also aids in controlling future incidences,” said Jonsson-Schmunk.

“The main advantage of our vaccine platform over the others in clinical testing is the long-lasting protection after a single inhaled dose,” added Croyle. “This is important since the longevity of other vaccines for Ebola that are currently being evaluated is not fully evaluated. Moreover, this immunization method is more attractive than an injectable vaccine given the costs associated with syringe distribution and needle safety and disposal.”

The next stage of research for Croyle’s team is a phase I clinical trial that tests the effectiveness of their vaccine in human subjects. They will also further explore preliminary data they have collected for administration of the vaccine as a thin film under the tongue in non-human primates.

This work was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.

 

[Suzieq]

*Ebola Quarantine in Iowa!

Updated: Thursday, November 6 2014, 05:55 PM CST DES MOINES, IA (CBS2/FOX28) -- One person is now under quarantine in Iowa after spending time in West Africa. Iowa Department of Public Health reporters the individual "had some risk" of being exposed to the Ebola virus. So far, state health officials say the unidentified person has shown no symptoms. Twelve other travelers who were also in West Africa are considered to be a low risk. That group has been allowed to resume normal activities, but the state has ordered them to self-monitor. That includes taking their temperature twice a day and report their conditions to public health officials. IDPH stresses that no one in Iowa has any symptoms consistent with Ebola. "These individuals are being monitored closely and pose no risk to the public's health. All individuals are fully complying and are cooperating with health officials." Said State Epidemiologist, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk. One man has died in the U.S. after contracting Ebola in West Africa. He later infected two nurses who both recovered. The death toll from the disease in West Africa now stands at 4,818.

*(Fair Use)

Read More: http://www.cbs2iowa.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/idph-orders-ebola-quarantine-31574.shtml

 

[kittyknits]

It has been managed, in the past, in small villages, where it would kill everyone off or the people would flee and die in the jungle, but not in a large city full of slums. It is not going to be contained in West Africa and will likely keep expanding.

It won't be contained in the US either if it gets too big a hold. Now we will not be given even the meager information we had before. Ebola centers are being built all across the US. For whom? What we don't know could certainly kill us.

 

[ainitfunny]

I would not want nor trust suits from China. These are the people who cannot make dog food without poisoning them.

Chinese Factory Steps up Production of Ebola Suits

MOSCOW, November 5 (RIA Novosti) - The Associated Press reports that 6,000 protective Ebola suits are being made every day in a Chinese factory, which has plans to double that number by January.
"We are very proud that the protective suits we manufacture can be used by those who are fighting against Ebola," the AP reports factory general manager Wang Ximin as saying.
Wang explained that demand for the yellow suits is 30 to 40 percent higher than last year, which are exported to West Africa for use by medics, as well as to the US and Europe. The factory in the eastern Shandong province has a contract with the US company Lakeland Industries to produce the clothing, which is completely sealed with both thread and glue to create an impermeable barrier between the wearer and the patient.
Last month, USAToday reported that the WHO estimates a monthly need for 300,000 of the hazardous materials suits, also known as hazmat, with a possible 3 million suits to be used in the following nine months. The channel also said that another supplier of protective gear, DuPont, has more than tripled its production of products for the treatment of Ebola. The company was quoted as saying, "DuPont is deeply concerned for those impacted by the Ebola outbreak and we have been working since its onset to assist in the response effort."
The Ebola outbreak has seen stock prices of companies like Lakeland spike with news of new infections. In October, CBS News reported that Lakeland, along with Alpha Pro Tech and Versar, two other manufacturers of the suits, experienced stock market spikes of 10, 14 and 65 percent respectively the day after two health workers in Texas were announced as having been infected with Ebola.
However, the suits have to be used correctly in order to be effective. After the diagnosis of the two nurses infected with Ebola in Dallas, fears grew about transmission despite the use of protective gear, which is hard to take off. "It is very difficult to get out of them without accidentally contaminating yourself, unless you do it perfectly," Mark Jarrett, chief quality officer at the North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System in New York told AFP.
The director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that training and education in using protective equipment needed to be improved, telling the Wall Street Journal: “We have to rethink how we address infection control.” The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control last week released detailed guidelines along with a video tutorial on how to use protective equipment like the hazmat suit effectively.

http://en.ria.ru/business/20141106/195175051/Chinese-Factory-Steps-up-Production-of-Ebola-Suits.html

Most likely, everything you have on from your hat to your shoes, your jacket to your skivvies are made in China or Asia. If you are the "exception" it is IRRELEVANT because that holds true for 99% of Americans. Very little manufacturing is done in the USA, Especially things like sewing any kind of garment.
Erego, it is not like anyone here has much of a choice since capitalism awards contracts to the lowest bidder.

 

[Suzieq]

Ebola: Safe Burials Practices In Sierra Leone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hKd-11WhZ0

Published on Nov 6, 2014

According to Concern Worldwide, around 80 percent of Ebola transmission are estimated to take place around burials. However due to successful education programs the number of safe burials Sierra Leone, has risen dramatically in recent weeks from 30 to 98 percent.

 

[Suzieq]

Ebola Containment: An International Debate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwkSqaPci20

Streamed live on Nov 5, 2014

Experts from the US and Belgium met for a virtual discussion to talk about the value of isolation, education, and tele-medicine as approaches to controlling the spread of Ebola. The panel discussed hurdles and considerations of interest to healthcare workers.

8:55 minutes into video- Smart Phones & other Devices using Mobile Heath Apps for Ebola self-monitoring.

(I found some information on the internet about Home Health Monitoring. Suzieq)
Remote Patient Monitoring: 9 Promising Technologies
http://www.informationweek.com/mobi...ring-9-promising-technologies/d/d-id/1110968?

Sotera's ViSi mobile system gives physicians and caregivers remote access to a patient's vital signs from anywhere within the hospital. The system monitors heart and pule rates, ECGs, blood oxygen saturation level, blood pressure, respiration rate and skin temperature -- both in and out of bed and in transport. The color touchscreen device is strapped to the patient's wrist, with sensors attached to the patient's chest and arm. Data is transmitted to physicians via Wi-Fi to desktops, tablets and mobile devices.

 

[Housecarl]

For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://www.independent.ie/world-news/un-issues-manual-for-ebola-burials-30726729.html

UN issues manual for Ebola burials

Published
07/11/2014 | 15:56

The World Health Organisation has released a 17-page manual detailing how to safely bury people who have died from Ebola.

The UN agency said the guidelines are part of an effort to reduce the likelihood of people contracting Ebola from corpses.

WHO Ebola expert Pierre Formenty says at least one in five infections occurs during burials.

The guidelines give step-by-step advice to health workers for Christian and Muslim burials.

WHO cites guidance from a Muslim chaplain that the ritual washing of the body is not needed when someone dies from Ebola.

The manual also recommends that items handled by the patient, particularly any mattress they might have used, should be burned.

There have been more than 4,800 deaths from Ebola since December.

The manual is at: http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/ebola/safe-burial-protocol/en/

Press Association

 

[2redroses]

*Ebola Quarantine in Iowa!

Updated: Thursday, November 6 2014, 05:55 PM CST DES MOINES, IA (CBS2/FOX28) -- One person is now under quarantine in Iowa after spending time in West Africa. Iowa Department of Public Health reporters the individual "had some risk" of being exposed to the Ebola virus. So far, state health officials say the unidentified person has shown no symptoms. Twelve other travelers who were also in West Africa are considered to be a low risk. That group has been allowed to resume normal activities, but the state has ordered them to self-monitor. That includes taking their temperature twice a day and report their conditions to public health officials. IDPH stresses that no one in Iowa has any symptoms consistent with Ebola. "These individuals are being monitored closely and pose no risk to the public's health. All individuals are fully complying and are cooperating with health officials." Said State Epidemiologist, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk. One man has died in the U.S. after contracting Ebola in West Africa. He later infected two nurses who both recovered. The death toll from the disease in West Africa now stands at 4,818.

*(Fair Use)

Read More: http://www.cbs2iowa.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/idph-orders-ebola-quarantine-31574.shtml

Thanks for posting this, I just heard on the radio news this morning "13 people being monitored for ebola in Iowa" and found a WHO station article on it.

http://whotv.com/2014/11/06/one-person-in-iowa-quarantined-monitored-for-ebola-symptoms/

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa public health officials say one person in Iowa has been quarantined after recently traveling to a West African country experiencing an outbreak of Ebola, but they are stressing there is no risk to the public.

Officials say they’ve been monitoring 13 travelers who have recently come from Sierra Leon, Liberia, or Guinea for symptoms of Ebola. Twelve of those had a very low risk of being exposed while on their travels and have been asked to self-monitor for symptoms, but they are allowed to continue normal activities.

One person had an increased risk of exposure and the Iowa Department of Public Health has placed that person in quarantine at their home. The person is required to monitor their temperature twice daily, once with a public health official observing.

The monitoring will be in place for 21 days, because the incubation period for Ebola is 21 days.

The IDPH says there is no risk to public safety and none of the travelers have displayed any symptoms of illness.

Officials are not releasing information on which county the person who is quarantined lives in, because they say it might lead to the individual’s identification — which is a violation of state law.

The IDPH says it released the information in an effort to be transparent. A news release from the department says, “The state believes in being transparent, especially when it pertains to the public’s health and wellbeing. We understand this is a public health issue of great interest to Iowans so we believe we need to be as forthcoming as possible. As such, the state believes the information needs to be released, even though there is not a risk to the public’s health at this time.”

DD is a student in Des Moines, now to figure out WHERE in Iowa?? It's got to be one of the cities, and Des Moines is the biggest and most likely one.

 

[Suzieq]

JBC Serviceman with 'flu-like' symptoms screened for Ebola at MUSC

Posted: Nov 07, 2014 5:12 AM CST Updated: Nov 07, 2014 10:28 AM CST
By Philip Weiss

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) -

*Joint Base Charleston confirmed Friday morning that a serviceman who flew a mission to West Africa on Oct. 23 and began experiencing "flu-like symptoms" this week is being screened for Ebola at MUSC.

While health officials believe he is an extremely low risk for Ebola, Staff Sgt. Anthony Hyatt says Joint Base Charleston coordinated with the state's Department of Health and Environmental Control to exercise "the appropriate protocols and an abundance of caution."

The hospital activated their Ebola protocols after it was contacted Thursday night by DHEC regarding a patient requiring Ebola medical screening.

The serviceman began experiencing the symptoms on Wednesday, Hyatt said.

The patient recently returned from a three hour stay in Liberia during which time he did not leave the plane, according to Mark Plowden, Communications Director for SCDHEC

"The risk of Ebola is extremely low," said Plowden in a statement. "However, MUSC is following protective protocol as a precautionary measure."

According to MUSC spokesperson Sarah King, a MUSC medical team was dispatched to the patient's home, and transported the patient to MUSC Medical Center in an isolation pod. The patient was then placed in a specialized isolation unit to undergo Ebola medical screening.

"The patient remains in isolation and the initial assessment indicates the patient is unlikely to have Ebola," a statement from MUSC reads. "However, MUSC and DHEC will continue to monitor the patient closely in the isolation unit."

Officials planned to meet Friday morning to reassess the treatment and condition of the patient.

In October, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Director Catherine Templeton announced MUSC volunteered to be an Ebola ready hospital, and that it was ready, willing, and able to treat Ebola patients if needed.

The DHEC director said doctors and nurses have been drilled on all protocols required to keep patients, themselves, and the community safe during a possible Ebola infection.

"When presented with someone who may have Ebola, someone who has non-specific symptoms and a fever and has traveled to West Africa, it is very simple. Isolate, identify, and communicate," Templeton said.

MUSC is stocked with equipment to aid in the possible treatment of Ebola patients, according to MUSC's Chief Quality Officer Dr. Danielle Scheurer.

"We are very prepared to screen, isolate and communicate at all ports of entry throughout MUSC Health, and we feel very confident we will be able to do that," said Sheurer during last months press conference. "We do feel confident that we can accept and safely care for any patient with a potential or suspected case of Ebola."

Live 5 News will have more information on this developing story as details become available.

*(Fair Use)

http://www.live5news.com/story/2732...-flu-like-symptoms-screened-for-ebola-at-musc

 

[Suzieq]

Ebola Nano Silver: Cure or Con

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSL9X8Hv2-E

 

[summerthyme]

The patient recently returned from a three hour stay in Liberia during which time he did not leave the plane, according to Mark Plowden, Communications Director for SCDHEC

"The risk of Ebola is extremely low," said Plowden in a statement. "However, MUSC is following protective protocol as a precautionary measure."

And won't we ALL crap our pants if this guy turns out to test (against all odds and "official" possibilities) positive. That would put paid the stupid "oh, it's not airborne" and "you must touch the bleeding, sweaty body of a dying patient to catch it" memes in one heck of a hurry...

Summerthyme

 

[bev]

I had to see my primary doc yesterday. Two days before, I received a phone call from the clinic where her office is located, with a recorded message. It said, paraphrasing, that if I had traveled outside the country and/or had a fever, I should call the office immediately.

The clinic is in a medium sized city in Georgia, and is affiliated with - but not physically connected to - one of two major hospitals here. I would imagine the hospital itself has some screening going on, both with patients/staff and visitors.

When I went in yesterday, I asked the MA who checked my vitals, if she had heard of anyone in the area even suspected of having EBOLA and she said no.

This is the first time I received such a call prior to an appointment.

 

[MtnGal]

2nd Ebola test on NC patient is negative


By Steve Lyttle
slyttle@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Thursday, Nov. 06, 2014
A second Ebola virus test on a patient at Duke University Hospital has come back negative, the N.C. Department of Health and Human services said Wednesday.

State officials said the test, conducted 72 hours after an initial negative test for the virus, confirms that the patient is Ebola-free. The testing was conducted at the State Laboratory of Health, one of 15 state labs approved by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to test blood specimens for Ebola.

The patient had been in good condition since being admitted to Duke University Hospital on Sunday with a fever. After the latest negative test was received, the patient was released from the hospital, officials said.

The quarantine and monitoring measures used on people who had contact with the patient also have ended.

The patient, who recently returned to the United States from West Africa, will continue to be monitored for fever or other symptoms for 21 days after leaving Africa. That is the protocol in the United States for all people who visit West Africa.

Health and Human Services Secretary Aldona Wos said she was pleased at the negative test but added, “We must continue to prepare for the possibility that an individual in North Carolina might be diagnosed with Ebola while the outbreak is still occurring in West Africa.”

Ebola, which has caused thousands of deaths in four West African nations, is contagious only after the onset of symptoms.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/20...nc-patient-is.html#.VF0kdDTF-vs#storylink=cpy

 

[NurseSlaughter]

5 bases chosen to quarantine and treat those returning from the Hot Zone.

(My first attempt at linking. Be kind!)

The link:
http://www.kirotv.com/ap/ap/top-news/military-names-5-us-bases-for-ebola-mission-troops/nh3Pb/


By LOLITA C. BALDOR

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON —


The top U.S. military officer has designated five U.S. bases where American troops would be housed and isolated for 21 days upon returning from Africa after serving in the Ebola response mission, U.S. officials said Friday.

Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, signed a plan that lists Fort Hood and Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; and Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, as bases where troops would be quarantined. The U.S. also will use two bases in Italy and Germany for returning troops based in that region.

Military service members are required to undergo 21 days of isolation and monitoring, while Defense Department civilians can choose to go through the quarantine period or not.

The plan exempts military personnel who travel to Africa for short-term visits and have very limited contact with people there, such as military staff traveling with a senior official who only stops in the country for a day or two. Any final decision on individual service members would be up to their senior military commanders, according to officials.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the plan publicly, pending an announcement by the Pentagon.

Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said Friday that any department civilians who become ill will receive medical treatment at military facilities at no cost.

In a related announcement, U.S. Northern Command has decided to train 30 more medical support personnel who will be available to help U.S. hospitals with any future Ebola cases. The personnel will begin training in San Antonio, Texas, later this month and will supplement a 30-member team that has already been trained and is ready to respond.

The team is made up of about 20 critical-care nurses, five doctors trained in infectious disease and five trainers who are experts in infectious disease protocols. They would be dispatched to help provide medical care at U.S. hospitals if additional staff is needed.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel approved the 21-day isolation period for U.S. troops late last month, but gave military leaders 15 days to provide him with a full plan on how the quarantines would be implemented.

There are close to 1,800 U.S. troops in Liberia and Senegal for the Ebola mission, along with almost 100 contractors and nearly 60 Defense Department civilians.

Maj. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, the former commander in charge of the U.S. response in Liberia, was placed in isolation in Vicenza, Italy, along with a number of his troops and staff when they returned from their deployment to West Africa late last month. None had any signs of Ebola.

The Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Ray Odierno, directed that all soldiers returning from Africa go through a 21-day isolation period. Shortly after his decision, military leaders recommended that all U.S. troops follow the same procedure, and Hagel agreed.

That policy goes beyond precautions recommended by the Obama administration for civilians,

Officials have said the difference reflect the facts that troops are in West Africa in greater numbers, for longer periods of time and are not there by choice. They also said they took into account concerns among family members and the communities from which the troops are deploying.

Copyright The Associated Press

>>>I will certainly be paying attention to Joint Base Lewis-McChord

 

[Babs]

I had to see my primary doc yesterday. Two days before, I received a phone call from the clinic where her office is located, with a recorded message. It said, paraphrasing, that if I had traveled outside the country and/or had a fever, I should call the office immediately.

The clinic is in a medium sized city in Georgia, and is affiliated with - but not physically connected to - one of two major hospitals here. I would imagine the hospital itself has some screening going on, both with patients/staff and visitors.

When I went in yesterday, I asked the MA who checked my vitals, if she had heard of anyone in the area even suspected of having EBOLA and she said no.

This is the first time I received such a call prior to an appointment.

I have been thinking about putting together a screening form for any potential doctor that I might have to see, to fill out for me. Lets face it, the doctors and nurses are more at risk than I am.

It will probably contain questions like:
"Have you or any of your staff visited, within the last month, any West African nation?"

"Have you or any of your staff visited a hospital within the last month, that has any patient under quarantine, after visiting any West African nation?"

...and so on and so forth.

 

[Lone_Hawk]

I just had a customer tell me that he has a close friend in Atlanta who is high up in the CDC. He told him point blank on the phone last night that the MSM had agreed to suppress reporting on ebola cases and that it was much worse than is being reported.