Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa: ''totally out of control"

Also, I hope Bob is right. I truly do. I hope my fears are completely misplaced.

 

Some more news for you guys:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/world/africa/sierra-leone-deploys-troops-in-ebola-crisis.html?_r=0

 

There is information in the OP about how this has happened before.

I understand being concerned. But it's also 'human nature' (partially influenced by those very same 'books and movies') to overreact to these sorts of things and seek out any information to validate that overreaction. It's why these conspiracy theories sites thrive, and why scam artists like Trudeau get rich playing off the fear and doubt of science and government.

In any case, though I also understand the concerns of our healthcare system, you are grossly understating and underestimating the differences here in the state of health care.

 

I sought out information to validate my NOT being afraid and to satisfy curiosity. Don't assume I'm cherry picking friend. The more I learned, the more my opinion actually shifted to being afraid.

Also I'm not saying we aren't vastly better in healthcare, but when something spreads quickly, we will see how superior we are to Africa. Hope you're right.

 

If you want conspiracy, let's talk conspiracy. You think big pharma wants to get us sick and charge for the cure?

 

I don't know. I think there will be a point where all air traffic is shut down in Africa. Otherwise I don't know how you are going to stop it.

 

Perhaps on the surface, but who knows about those 'deep psychological levels', eh?

 

I guess I'm a crazy conspiracy theorist, so why do you care so much about what I post? Maybe I struck a nerve.

 

The death count hasn't subsided yet, so Sierra Leone is putting troops at houses to keep people from leaving. I could see more being done as the death toll rises.

Meanwhile, people can keep downplaying how this thing isn't getting out of control.

 

Why are you getting upset? Did you not post in a discussion topic on a message board? Responding to other posts is kind of how it works.

And that was a joke. But I guess those deep psychological levels only applies to everyone else I suppose. Struck a nerve indeed.

 

It's already too late my friend. The only reason the "miracle cure" worked is because it gave the patients super-human healing powers, but we'll soon find out that it also makes them thirst for blood and develop albinism.

Time to stock up on food, water and guns. Lots of it. Also a Greman Shepard or two.

 

Except it's not. The flu is a virus that can spread very quickly. Ebola is basically the textbook definition of the opposite. If you want to see a virus out of control, see this:

https://virus.stanford.edu/uda/

Ebola has killed 900 people so far over the course of 5 months. Comparatively, the Spanish Flu killed 20-40 million people, despite a significantly lower mortality rate. 20% of the world's population got it. It spread globally in a nanosecond. *That* is an example of a virus that can spread very quickly. Ebola is not.

 

If you want to stop freaking out go read the Reddit thread with Richard Preston, the author of the Hot Zone-
http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2cscg8/i_am_richard_preston_author_of_the_hot_zone_and/

 

Genetically, we now know that 98% of all human beings came in contact with the Spanish Flu. Pretty fascinating.

Anyway, I completely understand people's worry. There is something a little different about this ebola virus, given how doctors are contracting it, and you assume they know better than to get messy with a patient.

But I totally agree with your point that 900 people in 5 months is not a pandemic. These are very populous contries.

David Quammen, one of the best science writers going, had recently written Spillover: Animal Infections and the next Human Pandemic. he was just on NPR saying he doesn't think this ebola is the "big one," but "it's the dress rehearsal." I really recommend his book to anyone who wants to learn a lot about what we're facing.

Here's an article about the Nigerian doctor who contracted ebola, and others being monitored in Lagos.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/08/nigeria_doctor_contracts_ebola_after_treating_victim.html

And here's an interesting CDC Q&A about the serum given to the two Americans, as mentioned in the CNN piece posted by RR.
http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/guinea/qa-experimental-treatments.html

 

That's a good read. I liked this part...

"RichardPreston:
Tell your mother that a) our medical care system can definitely handle Ebola patients if any do crop up in the US and b) it's hard to catch Ebola unless you are taking care of a person who is really sick with it, and the hospitals would be doing that anyway. What the heck, if I step out into the street at the wrong time a bus could kill me, but we can't live in a state of fear about everything that could kill us.

VikingCoder:
Speaking on behalf of all Americans:
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED."

Strong work, VikingCoder.

 

Nice loaded word choice. "Freaking out." I'm not "freaking out." I'm debating with you guys on the danger of this. Get over it that someone doesn't agree with you on the danger present.

It's easy to sit in America right now and say it won't spread, but so far Ebola hasn't slowed down in its spreading.

And as for some people here. Some people argue just for the sake of arguing. Part of why I keep talking to you guys... which I know it's fruitless until you notice blood dripping out of you eyes.

 

No you're not freaking out at all.

 

Yes, I'm wearing a mask right now

You're just mad someone disagrees with you, so you've resorted to petty accusations. A great tactic to win an Internet argument by disparaging the other person. It doesn't change the fact that this disease is being downplayed by people who are proud of their point of view.

 

Cannot respond so you deflect . .. . it is ok . . .

Rocket River
Your weapon of mass distraction

 

you know i was joking, right? I just thought it was funny you signed a post that only contained two articles you didn't write. Just humorous. Nothing more.