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Ebola cases pass 2k as crisis escalates

nature.com

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Re: Ebola cases pass 2k as crisis escalates

#11

Post by swalsh »

docker_up wrote: post #3

The fact this is going to spread worldwide is inevitable. I honestly think we need to prevent people from this area of the world from coming to the US until they get this under control, this is simply unacceptable from a global standpoint.

To be fair, there is a vaccine (still experimental), and the disease is spread via contact with bodily fluids. It sounds like one of the major issues is there is conflict which is preventing people from either trusting people trying to help them, or preveting the logicstics required for medical staff to reach them to help them. In the US, while there is a group of people who don't trust vaccines, most normal people would both trust, and have access.

But who knows, maybe ebola could solve our anti vax issue for a few more decades.

Re: Ebola cases pass 2k as crisis escalates

#13

Post by goldenchrome »

sixQuarks wrote: post #8

The internet was supposed to create an educated society with information at your fingertips, instead we got fake news and echo chambers spreading extreme thinking We have huge groups of actively ignorant people supporting the growth of climate change, anti-vaccination, and a host of other dangerous actions. Now those fighting Ebola outbreaks are getting attacked. I hope I’m wrong, but it looks like rationality is fas…

It really sounds like you're reading too much news. News is fear mongering most of the time. Try taking a short break, you might be surprised how much better you feel!

Re: Ebola cases pass 2k as crisis escalates

#14

Post by fredgrott »

jeffdavis wrote: post #10

Do these ebola outbreaks give the virus substantially more opportunity to evolve? Or is that not a significant risk?

not sure as its slightly different in packaging say from AIDS which does in fact evolve variants in an infected human(reason why the vaccine cure took so long to find).

Re: Ebola cases pass 2k as crisis escalates

#15

Post by swalsh »

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #4
docker_up wrote: post #3

The fact this is going to spread worldwide is inevitable. I honestly think we need to prevent people from this area of the world from coming to the US until they get this under control, this is simply unacceptable from a global standpoint.

The way people move about the world unchecked is irresponsible. We are more careful about cattle than humans. That said, any mechanism for checking travel will undoubtedly turn corrupt. So it comes with that cost.

That's because cattle have less civil rights than us.

Re: Ebola cases pass 2k as crisis escalates

#16

Post by throwayEngineer »

sixQuarks wrote: post #8

The internet was supposed to create an educated society with information at your fingertips, instead we got fake news and echo chambers spreading extreme thinking We have huge groups of actively ignorant people supporting the growth of climate change, anti-vaccination, and a host of other dangerous actions. Now those fighting Ebola outbreaks are getting attacked. I hope I’m wrong, but it looks like rationality is fas…

>it looks like rationality is fast disappearing from this world.

You'd like history, the masses of humans have always been like this.

Re: Ebola cases pass 2k as crisis escalates

#17

Post by low_roar1 »

coldcode wrote: post #2

It's just a question of time before it reaches the US. We were lucky with Dallas. It likely will escape the next time into the general population since many people without health insurance are unlikely seek medical care in time and when they do at the last minute, it will spread.

Ebola should actually be easier to contain in any civilized country such as the US. Quarantine measures and disposing of infected bodies properly would limit the pandemic.

In Congo Kinshasa, it's just the chaos politically, there is no real government in many parts of this country, the real danger is that it is not a small country at all, 80+ millions of inhabitants, many can't be reach by the WHO because of the wars and infighting between the "government" and militias. So the crisis there has great chances of getting worse, not better.

Furthermore, many many many people locals despise foreigners and particularly white people, for historical reasons, or just ignorance, and the culture is extremely unsanitary (touching and living with the dead, consuming bush meat or worse, ritualistic cannibalism, and what not), some straight out think Ebola is a white conspiracy.

This isn't a problem only money can solve this time.

Re: Ebola cases pass 2k as crisis escalates

#19

Post by georgehayduke »

I am amazed at the bravery of the medical staff, health professionals and volunteers who are trying to contain Ebola in the DRC.

Not only are they potentially exposed to the deadly disease, they have to content with violent attacks from the population they're trying to help.

It sounds incredibly complex - a mix of political mistrust, lack of education and difficult terrain making containment difficult.

While spreading to populous areas would be a major concern, I imagine that nations blessed with more resources may be in a better position to quarantine, contain and prevent the spread of Ebola.

Re: Ebola cases pass 2k as crisis escalates

#20

Post by prepend »

sixQuarks wrote: post #8

The internet was supposed to create an educated society with information at your fingertips, instead we got fake news and echo chambers spreading extreme thinking We have huge groups of actively ignorant people supporting the growth of climate change, anti-vaccination, and a host of other dangerous actions. Now those fighting Ebola outbreaks are getting attacked. I hope I’m wrong, but it looks like rationality is fas…

The people fighting Ebola responders are not actively ignorant. They are just militia and chaotic.

This is more to do with being unlucky where the outbreak occurred in a country without order in that part, than fake news affecting anything.

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