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

[minesadorada]

We need to get the number of Human hosts down as soon as we can in West Africa.

Ebola is a fast mutator.

Applause to the UK government for sending aid and supplies to help curb this menace.

[Guanche]

Not so sure about the UK sending people. So long as they are screened and treated if infected in Africa and not returned to the UK I suppose its ok and it would be nice to know if the solders are volunteers? I can't help but ask where all these doctors and nurses are coming from?
I would also like to hear about what the governments of these countries are doing. Its no use trying to help someone that seemingly couldn't give a toss. I would point to the grave diggers strike. Although I would concede that this may be a UK or world media problem in not reporting it.

[Janet]

No doubt partly as a result of the situation as it has developed over the last few days in Madrid, and evident widespread concern over the spread of the disease, regional government spokesman Martín Marrero held a press conference today to assure the public that the Canarian authorities are "sufficiently prepared" in terms of both equipment and information to deal with any possible cases of ebola in these islands. Marrero said that health personnel had been trained in a specific protocol for ebola involving multiple exercise drills both in health facilities and medical transport, both air and land.

Marrero added that apart from this training and equipment supply, the Canarian authorities had established an epidemiological vigilance system, the archipelago being the first autonomous region to do this in Spain. The round-the-clock system provides for instant notification of alerts of any symptoms detected in the islands. The minister expressed his satisfaction with a national health system Interterritorial Council which will be held tomorrow in Madrid, and said that the Canaries had been calling for such a meeting since last month. JA

[Nova]

Excellent to see the Canarian government contributing buzzwords to reassure the public    I suspect what they really mean is that they have their private jets fuelled and ready to depart for New Zealand at the first sign of infection 

[Guanche]

You beat me to it Nova Word's, or in my language 'Bullshit for the Masses'

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Appropriately, this story about an idiot who claimed to have ebola on an airplane which was then boarded by officials in hazmat suits is from the DM.  Complete with DM picture goodness. 

What NOT to say on a plane: American passenger bundled off U.S. to Dominican Republic flight by hazmat team after sneezing and joking 'I have Ebola!'

    Man sneezed, yelled 'I have Ebola!' on US flight to Dominican Republic
    Four Hazmat officers rushed onto US Airways plane from Philadelphia
    He was detained and taken for testing, exclaiming: 'I ain't been to Africa'
    255 passengers forced to stay on board for two hours until he was cleared
    Punta Cana Airport bosses said he is 'unbalanced' and 'did it for attention'

[Janet]

The national health system Interterritorial Council which Canarian government spokesman Martín Marrero referred to yesterday has resulted in management of Spain's response to the ebola situation being wrested from the control of beleaguered health minister Ana Mato, and given to deputy prime minister Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, who will head a new committee formed by representatives from the ministries of Defense, Interior, Presidency, Economy and Justice, together with a representative from both the Madrid regional health department and Carlos III hospital, plus the president of the Scientific Committee for Ebola.

The committee will be supported by a group of scientific advisers, and Sáenz de Santamaría said that it was a flexible council which would allow more experts to be brought in as and when needed. She added that apart from management of the situation in Spain, the commission will be responsible for providing more information to the public. Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy himself visited the hospital where Teresa Romero, the Spanish nurse with ebola, is apparently increasingly ill. She is reportedly receiving the experimental ZMapp vaccine, but is said now to be unable to breathe unaided. JA

[Guanche]

If this woman dies her death is a direct result of the actions of the muppet who signed off on bring the sky pilot back from Africa!! If I were Spanish I would be demanding to know who this idiot is and let them publicly defend themselves. Alas this is Spain and public figures don't have to defend themselves to anyone!!!

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Totally agree with you Pelinor. 

[Guanche]

I'm beginning to think we're in a parallel universe called 'The universe for sensible people' looking in to planet Earth in the 'Universe of fricken idiots'
I've just been watching the Spanish news report about the people being quarantined in the hospital where the infected nurse is. There seems to be about a dozen, made up of her husband, doctors, nurses, a cleaner and three hair dressers. Ok up to now. They all seem to be housed in the floor under the nurse and one other person who is showing signs of the infection (I think) still Ok.
The dozen or so under observation, as I understood the report, were filmed talking on mobile phones in the windows of the wards. Now here is the kicker.


The fucking windows were open and they were leaning out whilst talking on their mobiles. They were on the forth or fifth floor below them were shuttered windows belonging to other wards I assume.... with patients in I assume.  Anyone else see the problem in this? Or is it just me

Now if I've misunderstood the report and the people talking on phones whilst leaning out of open windows are not the ones under observation then I apologize. But I don't think I did missunderstand