Ebola Megathread

[The Archregimancy]

ModEdit:

Threads on Ebola merged.


Ebola has broken out in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. The head doctor leading the fight to contain and treat the disease (there is no cure) in Sierra Leone has himself contracted the disease and is hospitalized; several of his nurses have already died. The other nurses who worked with them have gone on strike, protesting mismanagement and government inertia, and asking the MSF to take over.

The WHO "monitors" the situation but does nothing. Critics say the governments there are inert.

http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/guinea/

The death estimates in this CDC document are low; the interfaith coalition in Sierra Leone say the deaths in that country are much higher.

In my opinion, MSF is the one bright light, the only group (other than those who have already sacrificed their lives and health) to act both bravely and competently.

What would you do? Quarantine the victims? Kill them (as some families believe is being done)? Go on a mass strike until the government declares an emergency and makes a formal appeal for aid?

I agree with the nurses; they should just let the MSF take over.

[The Serbian Empire]

I don't know if it can be stopped with anything short of doctors in biohazard suits.

[Vamtrl]

What would you do? Quarantine the victims?

In an ideal world, I would want PROPER quarantine with full routine precautions. Reality however disagrees.

Another thing I would suggest is a massive media drive which is already being done thankfully.

Kill them (as some families believe is being done)?

They will die on their own, just make sure they are isolated and cremated after.

Go on a mass strike until the government declares an emergency and makes a formal appeal for aid?

No strikes, that would just exacerbate the problem. There should definitely be more funding for equipment and personnel from international agencies though.

[Pope Joan]

I don't know if it can be stopped with anything short of doctors in biohazard suits.

I believe MSF is now supplying those? https://media.msf.org/Docs/MSF/Media/TR ... B10762.jpg

[The Serbian Empire]

I don't know if it can be stopped with anything short of doctors in biohazard suits.

I believe MSF is now supplying those? https://media.msf.org/Docs/MSF/Media/TR ... B10762.jpg

I'm thinking we need them to take over this given the superior supplies.

[Vamtrl]

A major problem I have read about is the backwards thinking many of the people in Western Africa have. They trust their witch doctors to cure them or hide and infect more people.

[Pope Joan]

A major problem I have read about is the backwards thinking many of the people in Western Africa have. They trust their witch doctors to cure them or hide and infect more people.

There are many well educated people in Sierra Leone; I think your opinions of their sophistication are behind the times.

My friend and supervisor, for instance, is from that nation and has many relatives there. They are all graduates of Episcopal (Church of England) academies, and scoff at witch doctors.

[Napkiraly]

It has spread to Lagos apparently. MSF and the WHO really need to crack down on this.

[Vamtrl]

A major problem I have read about is the backwards thinking many of the people in Western Africa have. They trust their witch doctors to cure them or hide and infect more people.

There are many well educated people in Sierra Leone; I think your opinions of their sophistication are behind the times.

My friend and supervisor, for instance, is from that nation and has many relatives there. They are all graduates of Episcopal (Church of England) academies, and scoff at witch doctors.

I said many, not all. There are many educated people yes, but the poor and uneducated probably outnumber them by a wide margin.

Edit: Have a source

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a report which blames the outbreak of the unnamed capricious ebola virus strain on a severe lack of cooperation on the part of the local population, own ignorance regarding the nature of both the deadly Ebola virus and its proper medical treatment combined with a widespread distrust of modern medicine, both its practitioners and its methods, have aided the continued existence of the nearly five month long Ebola outbreak that has killed more than 400 people in West Africa. These findings echo complaints made by many doctors and observers who have worked or are currently working in the area to resolve the crisis. These accounts accuse the locals of actively preventing the work of doctors and other medical personnel out of irrational suspicions, beliefs and customs. The report also cited the relatively free movement across the borders of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, as well as the numerous border crossings made for commercial purposes including personal travel across borders, as major contributors to the outbreaks which have infected at least 600 people since the first outbreak in Guinea in March.

Read more at http://guardianlv.com/2014/07/ebola-out ... PTaKqCL.99

[Othelos]

I bet if the epidemic started somewhere in Europe, it'd suddenly be a huge crisis and the WHO would be all over it.

[Pope Joan]

I bet if the epidemic started somewhere in Europe, it'd suddenly be a huge crisis and the WHO would be all over it.

Those were also my own first thoughts when I heard this.

[Vamtrl]

I bet if the epidemic started somewhere in Europe, it'd suddenly be a huge crisis and the WHO would be all over it.

They are all over this.

[The Flood]

All of the above pretty much. Ebola is the most dangerous disease on the planet, and it must be contained.

[Othelos]

I bet if the epidemic started somewhere in Europe, it'd suddenly be a huge crisis and the WHO would be all over it.

They are all over this.

Did you read the OP?

[Vamtrl]

They are all over this.

Did you read the OP?

More then that buddy.

Edit: Have a source

The World Health Organization has so far provided technical assistance through the deployment of over 150 multidisciplinary team of experts involved in a range of outbreak response activities such as surveillance, communication and social mobilization, infection control, logistics, data management.

WHO

[Othelos]

Did you read the OP?

More then that buddy.

Edit: Have a source

The World Health Organization has so far provided technical assistance through the deployment of over 150 multidisciplinary team of experts involved in a range of outbreak response activities such as surveillance, communication and social mobilization, infection control, logistics, data management.

WHO

Oh, well never mind, then.

[Vicious Debaters]

Add Nigeria to your list of countries.

[The Huskar Social Union]

This is terrible, i hope they can contain it fast.

[Risottia]

Ebola has broken out in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. The head doctor leading the fight to contain and treat the disease (there is no cure) in Sierra Leone has himself contracted the disease and is hospitalized; several of his nurses have already died. The other nurses who worked with them have gone on strike, protesting mismanagement and government inertia, and asking the MSF to take over.

Quarantine the victims, and quarantine the whole countries.

[Chestaan]

Ebola has broken out in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. The head doctor leading the fight to contain and treat the disease (there is no cure) in Sierra Leone has himself contracted the disease and is hospitalized; several of his nurses have already died. The other nurses who worked with them have gone on strike, protesting mismanagement and government inertia, and asking the MSF to take over.

Quarantine the victims, and quarantine the whole countries.

This. When you are carrying a potentially fatal and very contagious disease you need to be quarantined, even if it's against your will.

[United Marxist Nations]

Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

[Kedah]

Ebola has broken out in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. The head doctor leading the fight to contain and treat the disease (there is no cure) in Sierra Leone has himself contracted the disease and is hospitalized; several of his nurses have already died. The other nurses who worked with them have gone on strike, protesting mismanagement and government inertia, and asking the MSF to take over.

Quarantine the victims, and quarantine the whole countries.

This.

In rural areas Ebola burns itself out quickly. If allowed into densely populated cities it could go global.

[Benuty]

Looks like ebola is infesting the nigerian city of Lagos.

[Scomagia]

Quarantine the victims, and quarantine the whole countries.

This.

In rural areas Ebola burns itself out quickly. If allowed into densely populated cities it could go global.

Not so much. Transmission requires contact with bodily fluids, which isn't the most effective way for a virus to spread. If it were spread by coughing/sneezing, then it would be something of a concern. Much of the current "epidemic" has been caused by human ignorance such as people "freeing" quarantined patients, threatening aid workers, and failing to follow proper funeral and medical protocol.

[Baltenstein]

The way I understand it, Ebola's pandemic potential is greatly reduced by how it kills infected (especially in poor areas) faster than they can spread it. Is that about right?