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

[Janet]

I've had now quite a few emails expressing concern and requesting information about the Canaries' proximity to Africa and the current outbreak of ebola there, so thought it was time to post on the situation.

Fernando Simón, director of Spain's Health Department's Alerts and Health Emergencies Coordination Centre, has said that a national protocol has been in place since March to coordinate the regional governments' responses to a possible ebola outbreak, and to monitor ports, airports and the country's borders.

To date nine possible cases have been intercepted, two of which became "suspected", and in the event neither was ebola, though one of these two activated the emergency protocol in the Valencian autonomous community at the end of June. Luis Enjuanes, virologist at the National Biotechnology Centre said, indeed, that although no guarantees can be given that ebola will not arrive at Europe, the disease is not airborne, which means that its propagation through direct physical contact will be restricted and localized, giving enough time for specific control measures to be put in place upon identification.

One main concern from those who've written to me is the risk of infection from illegal immigrants. Again, Fernando Simón seeks to reassure, saying that there aren't any boat arrivals to speak of these days, but the occupants of those which do arrive are "subjected to a protocol". Equally as important, the journeys undertaken normally last a sufficient time for symptoms to be showing by the time of the crafts' arrival in Spanish territory.

These symptoms are flu-like (fever, sore throat, muscle pains, headaches) in the initial stages, which can take up to three weeks to become evident. This is followed by sickness and diarrhoea, and subsequent deterioriation of internal organs along with haemorrhage from orifices including eyes, nose and ears, and under the skin. Needless to say medical advice should be taken immediately if there is any suspicion at all of infection, but do let us try to keep this in proportion.

At present there is no suspected, let alone confirmed, case in Spain. Arrival is unlikely, not least because there is no direct air link between Spain and the countries in Africa currently affected. Should it arrive, contagion would be restricted and localized. Illegal immigrants are few and would likely be showing symptoms on arrival, and even if not, themselves become part of a protocol. And there is already a national protocol in place coordinating Spain's response and ongoing monitoring of the situation where the disease is active. JA

[minesadorada]

Ebola Zaire is very, very scary

I recommend 'The Hot Zone' by Richard Preston which reads like a horror story, but is actually a true account of what Ebola can do.

http://richardpreston.net/preston-books/hot-zone

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Absolutely right Dorada.  Having read it, ebola has terrified me for years.  Fingers crossed those in charge make decisions based upon public health instead of political correctness.  Borders may have to be closed for a while in order to avoid a pandemic.  Let us hope it does not come to that. 

[Delderek]

According to the BBC, it is very unlikely to become a major problem in Western societies as our hygiene is much better. It is only passed by bodily fluids, so simple and frequent hand washing, is all that is required.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Wish it were so simple.  Think about somebody with a cold/sinus problems, who sneezes in room full of people.  Spray everywhere containing virus.  But unlike a cold, deadly ebola.  That's why they have to suit up and why we do not want infected people arriving.  This ebola shit is awful.  Not to give anybody the creeps but the book Dorada recommended will make you appreciate the virus.

[Delderek]

Wish it were so simple.  Think about somebody with a cold/sinus problems, who sneezes in room full of people.  Spray everywhere containing virus.  But unlike a cold, deadly ebola.  That's why they have to suit up and why we do not want infected people arriving.  This ebola shit is awful.  Not to give anybody the creeps but the book Dorada recommended will make you appreciate the virus.

From the Experts:

Ebola is actually much harder to spread than respiratory infections, such as influenza or measles. Those viruses pose a much greater threat on a plane or in any confined space, says Osterholm, who notes that people cannot spread the Ebola virus simply by sneezing or coughing.

[Janet]

Medical advice here is that it is "not airborne", and needs physical touch involving bodily fluids, which of course includes sweat, so just shaking someone's hand would do it. They say that high fives are safer, where there's just a momentary and superficial contact ... so there's clearly some difficulty in transmission. I still wouldn't want to be in close proximity to a sneeze though!!

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Despite Delderek's information I am taking no chances! 

[Janet]

Sierra Leone's president has declared a public health emergency now, which will apparently allow the main centres of the outbreak to be be quarantined. The UN says the death toll in west Africa is now over 670 since February - 224 of them in Sierra Leone. Measures now in place in Sierra Leone include travellers at airports having to wash their hands with disinfectant ...  BBC

Mercadona sells alcohol hand wash, just a little plastic bottle which drops an alcohol liquid to disinfect. I keep one in the car and use it periodically if I'm out for hours because finding somewhere to wash hands here is never easy. Do we think this could be effective??

And what about the looky looky men? Some are from Sierra Leone, quite a few, I understand, and even though they won't have the disease intrinsically, could any letters or packages delivered from SL bring it here?

I hear the official guidelines, and am part of the dissemination of the "reassurance message" ... but I still feel jumpy about this.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Strangely, Nature has an article today, Largest ever Ebola outbreak is not a global threat, which is very optimistic. 



[ot]I can't find the hand sanitiser in Mercadona anymore, at least in Adeje.  Do they have it in other ones?[/ot]