Ebola: the current situation, measures being taken, and reasons for Spain to be optimistic

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!   

[Janet]

And apparently 2 Americans are being flown back to an isolation facility in Georgia.

They were given the only available experimental drug, approved for use by the WHO even though experimental simply because they were likelier to die than not if they had nothing ... and they have both recovered!

Of course, they might have recovered anyway, there was always a 30% (?) chance of that, but for them both to recover, surely those odds were reduced. They have to get batches of this vaccine out there now, don't they?

[Michael]

Guess where we're meant to be going for a weekend next Friday? 

Suspected Ebola case in Donegal

Methinks I shall be listening to the local news with great interest on Friday. 

Result negative. 

[Janet]

I can't be placated over this ...

The World Health Organization has said the speed and extent of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is "unprecedented".

The WHO's Dr Keiji Fukuda expressed concern over so-called "shadow zones", areas which cannot be reached and where patients are not being detected.

The organisation confirmed 142 new cases of the disease had been reported since 19 August, as well as 77 deaths.

I think this is a bloody timebomb. I would love to be wrong!

BBC

[Guanche]

Off topic alert. Putting aside compassion and sympathy for the people who are infected. I have to ask where the hell has all the billions if not trillions of dollars gone in International Aid money over the past 40 odd years? What was it spent on? I know Africa is a massive continent but we're only talking about West Africa here, and there are places that can't be reached? There are immigrants who manage to get from some of these countries to France seemingly without problem (This is not about immigration, just an example) But all the resources of the local government and international help can't reach places? to detect sufferers and help them.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Easy question Pelinor.  The money has gone to line the pockets of the local politicians.  And they don't give a shit.

[Guanche]

Well as usual I'm probably going against the grain but I think I have a valid point.

Why was an RAF aircraft used to fly all the way to pick this chap up and take him back to the UK with all medical staff and equipment provided, not to mention the RAF staff. Then given a Police escort to a hospital in central London?

He is a nurse and volunteered to go there. One assumes he must have known the risk but chose to go anyway. So why all this fuss?

I have a brother who volunteers for the company he works for to travel the world. He works for a British company and helps get contracts that in turn helps the UK economy. So if he fell ill whilst in say, Chile, China, Russia or Korea would the RAF fly him home if it was life threatening? No of course not so why this chap? After all one would hope that most of the 'Experts' and help would be at the scene of the epidemic and that would be the best place to treat him........... well one would hope!

Now, why would the British Government sanction an RAF jet to fly all that way to bring back to the shores of the UK someone infected with one of the most deadly diseases in the world when the chance of survival is minimal at best?


Just take a moment to think about it............

[Nova]

Because either....

1.  His mate /sister's boyfriend/ somebody who owes him one works in a position that can authorise such things

or

2.  It's a governmentally engineered disease!!!! 

[Perikles]

Why was an RAF aircraft used to fly all the way to pick this chap up and take him back to the UK with all medical staff and equipmet provided, not to mention the RAF staff. Then given a Police escort to a hospital in central London?

I don't see any cost to the tax payer, because these guys have to do something. And it's all good practice. Anyway, it gives them a chance to experiment with new drugs, and it's all very interesting.

[/refusetogetwoundupmode]

[Guanche]

There is a cost. We talk about the woman who had bigger boobs on the NHS which I would imagine was a damn sight cheaper than a trip to Africa on a large aircraft. One could argue that the surgeons that did the boobs had to do something and it was all good pratice. Your point about experimenting with new drugs is a valid point though, so long as they are for our benefit?

Neverinawindupmode