Ebola now confirmed in the US

It's not too early Denob. This one single case in North America should be everyone's "red alert". I've just informed my family who live in this house that we are on high alert. Soon, we likely won't be frequenting public places. And maybe even 'hibernating' for the winter 😉

OK...I may be a little premature posting this in disaster alerts, but it sure needs to be taken seriously.

I've already bugged out because of this. Been sitting in my bunker all night holding on to my shotgun.

Just kidding.

Thanks for the update! It's appreciated! I'd rather have a premature post about something concerning then a timely post about something devastating.

OK...I may be a little premature posting this in disaster alerts, but it sure needs to be taken seriously.

I've already bugged out because of this. Been sitting in my bunker all night holding on to my shotgun.

Just kidding.

Thanks for the update! It's appreciated! I'd rather have a premature post about something concerning then a timely post about something devastating.

You're such an urbanite!
Go rural and you can bug in for this sort of thing!
Just Kidding.

Thanks for the heads up. Unfortunately, DH goes to the hospital every 2 weeks, like clockwork, for his infusion (treatment of IVIG). Can't do anything about it, but will take as much precautions as we can.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/chi-ebola-in-america-20141001,0,2559259.story
They've finally released the name of the hospital that turned him away. I fail to believe that in that trip, only 12-18 people came into some form of contact with him, but I suppose it's possible.
Worse, though, is that 5 are kids. And we know how well young kids and teenaged boys sometimes wash their hands.
And then...
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/10/01/paramedics-er-staff-under-ebola-observation-in-dallas/16519413/
Oh, goody.

12 to 18?
sounds like they're not really sure...
I'd actually feel better if they gave an answer like 147.
At least it would APPEAR that they know and are not just guessing.

I'm okay with a little leeway, plus you have the conflicting ("refined") information.
Once/with some agencies it was he'd sought medical attention 4 days before admission and 4 days after the flight, then 6 days after the flight and 4 days after admission, then switch them.

Some are going hard "12", some say "about a dozen" and some are going with 18, some agencies are reporting the range. Who knows.

There's also question now raised about "traveler" and he may very well belong in the U.S., not be visiting as was initially reported. That will partially undercut some of the stupidity.

There are other things that bother me.

They made no announcement about the clinic he'd visited that I can find right after the confirmation. It just, poof, popped up in follow-up articles.
Dallas in September is still pretty sweaty, and sweat is one of those bodily fluids you have to watch for in some listings.
Plus, there's a question of how thoroughly he washes his hands after episodes of being sick, and how fastidious he is with his hands while sick.

Obviously, not enough, unless he was coughed on or sneezed on by whoever he contracted it from, or had an open wound somewhere that shoved the virus into his bloodstream before he could wash off. If he was a super-careful hand washer and-or aware of risk and prevention (family is claiming he told the first hospital he'd been to Africa), those are the only two ways he'd have contracted it.

Combine those facets, and you have a clinic where he was symptomatic where others were sick and injured, or visiting the sick and injured, or dropping them off, or delivering flowers, or refilling vending machines, or servicing hospital equipment, plus the usual staff and doctors.
I presume the sweaty man walked out, since he wasn't admitted (or touched a wheelchair), touching door handles and possibly sat in a waiting room, possibly used a restroom (with diarrhea and vomiting, you'd think).
And then others possibly followed him in touching any of those without PPE.
Hopefully THEY were germaphobes.

Of all those people, plus the EMTs in the ambulance (and anybody who rode in it? how fast was it quarantined after he was picked up, because he was admitted on suspicion on Sunday and results didn't come in until Tues), the 4 days between visits, and however long before the first visit, he only came into contact (or didn't wash his hands properly before touching something somebody else might touch soon after - like door handles/locks or the pharmacy counter/chairs after the first clinic) 12 to 18 people?
Which includes his family?
And the kids (no idea where they fall in there).

But they never say, early, before the confirmation even, "Hey, if you were at X clinic on X day, could you call in?"
No.
They are likely relying on patient logs, possibly guest logs (if they have them; not all clinics do). I understand the need for caution and trying to not get swarmed by people who are panicky.

That might be how he got turned away the first time, somebody saying 'pooh, pooh, it's contained, you don't have ebola.'
But if so, how fast was that ambulance scrubbed and quarantined again?
There's biological waste protocol, absolutely, and possible infection protocol even if you're not thinking ebola, but obviously if the ambulance is quarantined, too, we think this thing could be infected.

Holding that ambulance undercuts the argument that ebola couldn't have survived on doors, handrails, sinks, toilets, walls, and curtains in the first clinic. Dallas is a pretty hopping-fast city with the same EMS demands as any other large, hopping-fast city).
But no announcement to please call the hospital if you were there on a certain day.
Well done. Fab-o. Confidence building, really.

I hope they initiate a quarantine/no-fly law from affected nations, save for specific medical flights that will observe protocol as with the first 4 in (they won't, but a girl can dream).
-P

I should provide a third option for contracting ebola: Some unknowingly infected woman could have thrown herself at him in fiery passion.
🙂

Mr. Duncan aged 42 was in direct physical contact with assisting in transporting a woman who had ebola in Liberia 4 days before he departed to visit the USA . He was aware he was exposed to ebola and irresponsibly he flew to Brussels then to Dallas and it is alleged he did not exhibit symptoms until the fourth day of his stay in Dallas. I believe the reporting was a bit misleading when it stated he was not admitted to the hospital the first visit, he had gone through triage and was attended to by medical staff and sent home with a prescription. The triage team was aware he was from Africa and he says he told them from Liberia and they failed to report it on to anyone. They dropped the ball in other words. He then returned the fourth day of being symptomatic in an ambulance and failed to mention to anyone he was Liberian and exposed to ebola so they were unaware of the situation transporting him back to the hospital .
You would think anyone reasonable would call the hospital explaining their situation and the hospital would contact the CDC and send a prepared team to isolate Mr. Duncan but as it is no one thought to be be upfront and responsible . Human behaviour , lying by omission, incompetance and such is directly to blame for this but the regulations concerning travel should have been tightened up over a month ago to carefully screen and allow only essential travel.

Caught a quick glimpse of the TV in our staff lunch room (possibly CNN?) and the headline was "Canada makes preparations for Ebola". Anyone else have more info on this?

I'm "wiggling out" because I work in an International hotel and I'm flying to Toronto next week to attend a convention with a million other "germ carriers"!

Up to "as many as 80" potentially exposed - scary as it is, that's much more reasonable and to me, reassuring.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/texas-officials-say-80-people-may-have-been-exposed-to-ebola-patient-nbc/ar-BB6Eoek
"About 12-18 people, including five children, had contact with Liberian national Thomas Eric Duncan... The larger number includes individuals who had contact with those people."
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-29462431

What's not is:
"Additionally, four members of the patient's family have been ordered to stay home as a precaution..." (first article). According to the BBC article, 5 children were ordered to stay home from school.

A. Usual number uncertainty
B. I understand that as best as science knows, we're only contagious when we're actively showing symptoms, but some of the symptoms are headaches and fevers that may start off low enough not to be noticed, especially in Dallas heat and in stressful situations. First symptoms and even later-stage symptoms vary in appearance and severity in patients.
Sure seems like there would be a lot less cost involved to in-home quarantine them all and do some med checks for at least a week or two if not the full 21 days and find a way to reimburse lost wages (at least on a jury duty level), have school work delivered and exceptions made for testing (projects, reports) for the youths than to risk this thing getting bigger. Again.

Cheers,
-P

"Gee I think I will go drop in on my family in the States, while my country is in midst of an Ebola outbreak"..said nobody ever

Obviously someone knew they were heavily exposed and figured their chances were better with US health care. Even if that is probably true, what an incredibly selfish thing to do.

I hope they initiate a quarantine/no-fly law from affected nations, save for specific medical flights that will observe protocol as with the first 4 in (they won't, but a girl can dream).
-P

I will dream along with you , does everyone remember the quarantine in New York harbour years ago before we were born ?