From what I understand, a Liberian came to Texas from Africa, checked into the Dallas hospital with flu-like symptoms, and no one caught that it was actually Ebola. Now he's dead and two of the nurses who had a hand in treating him are also sick. Are we seeing the very beginning of an outbreak here in the U.S.?
gofar99 Messages: 1955 Registered: May 2010 Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
Hi, It is hard to tell the hype from fact.....but it seems the answer is no. Only really close contact with someone exhibiting symptoms is supposed to permit transfer of the infectious material. What I think we are seeing is that the hospital was not really ready to find and treat the illness. To much self confidence not enough preparation. Considering that it has been rampant in Africa for months now and they have virtually no in place way to stop the spread and only about 10K persons have gotten the illness means to me that it really is hard to transfer it. If it were easy, all of Africa would be dead by now.
audiophile88 Messages: 30 Registered: September 2014 Location: USA
Baron
Gofar99 makes a good point. As many people as there are in Africa and as relatively few people as have died, I'd say it's probably not as big of a deal (in large scale terms) as people fear it to be. Personally, I haven't heard anything about it in weeks now.
gofar99 Messages: 1955 Registered: May 2010 Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
It still pops up in the news occasionally. I believe there is a possible exposure patient on the way to a Nebraska hospital today. Still more people died recently from the flu. My sense is if you are not in a country where it is rampant, or have visited one there is more to worry about being hit by a car than the illness.
Well I hate to hear that it's an issue in Africa but I'm glad it hasn't become an issue here, too. At first I was a bit worried about a potential outbreak here but I think you guys are right; I think we have more to worry about from the flu here than Ebola.
Round2 Messages: 108 Registered: September 2013 Location: Canada
Viscount
The only people who catch this disease are people who are in contact with an infected person's bodily fluids. It is not an airborne illness so chances of it becoming rampant here are slim as long as hospitals take precautions.
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