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

[Michael]

I knew what it was. It comes from watching so many crappy US television series. 

[Guanche]

I knew what it was, but as Michael said I only knew it through Hollywood and the TV. As I've said before, take away Hollywood and the US is no better than any other country in the world at doing most things.

[Nova]

I didn't know what it was but from the context I had deduced "contagious disease control". Guess I wasn't far off. In fact I think mine's better 

[Janet]

so any non-American who's not up to speed on the various US crime series or films wouldn't have a hope of knowing it. The Mail gets more American every day ... and I don't care what they do in the States, I will never spell centre "center", even if it's a proper name! 

[Guanche]

Off Topic...... I was watching a quiz show a while back, can't even remember which one. But it came up that the reason the US spell's certain words differently was because of one man who published a dictionary in the US and changed the spelling in order to lose 'English' and replace it with 'American'. Or something like that?   

[Janet]

The Canarian health department, Sanidad, says that it has activated its protocol for ebola after a man who left Sierra Leone on 8 October and arrived in Tenerife on Sunday 12th has now presented with a fever. The man is said to have a temperature of 37.7º and is being treated in isolation in Candelaria hospital under the terms and conditions of the protocol after being collected from his home. Candelaria hospital is said to be carrying out detailed analytical tests which will be sent to the Instituto de Salud Carlos III in Madrid, with results expected in around 24 hours. Sanidad says that health professionals are prepared for these types of situations, and asked the public to be calm and confident in the authorities. A press conference will be given around 4pm. JA

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Off Topic...... I was watching a quiz show a while back, can't even remember which one. But it came up that the reason the US spell's certain words differently was because of one man who published a dictionary in the US and changed the spelling in order to lose 'English' and replace it with 'American'. Or something like that?   

Believe it was Noah Webster.  Today we still have Webster's dictionaries (updated of course).

[Janet]

that press conference ...

Canarian government health minister Brígida Mendoza and deputy health minister Juana M Reyes have given a press conference in which they said that the protocol was activated in a Sanidad "crisis committee" at 1.30pm to allow the fever to be investigated, not because this is a confirmed case of ebola. Mendoza said that she wanted to send a message of tranquility, and that the government's priority was the person under investigation (Sanidad does not want to use the word "patient" at this stage) and the health professionals involved in his care.

Reyes said that health service confidentiality meant that they could not release the man's details without authorization, though Mendoza did confirm that he was feverish with a sore throat: he would be in an incubation period, she said, if the illness were confirmed as ebola. She also said that he had had two direct contacts in his dwelling here who are now themselves under observation. The medical staff who accompanied the man from his home were wearing hazmat garments, and he is now under investigation in a three-room isolation unit in Candelaria hospital designed according to the protocol for the assessment of possible ebola cases.

Reyes said that there have already been phone calls from worried patients asking for appointments at Candelaria hospital to be changed, and Mendoza called on the public to be calm and to have confidence in the health service, and to make responsible use of the health service public number 012 and emergency number 112.

[Janet]

The first of two analyses for the suspected case of ebola in Tenerife have returned negative results. Hospital sources say that the patient remains in isolation, as do his two contacts, but that his fever had already started to reduce yesterday.

[Janet]

There is some controversy over the identification in some press (e.g. El Día, La Opinion) of the man who has now tested negative for ebola. Only yesterday Sanidad refused to give his details because he had not authorised publicity, but today, he has been named, and a photo published. I personally think it is enough to say that he is a nurse from Tenerife who has worked in Sierra Leone, and who has tested positive for malaria. The second test for ebola, which is expected to confirm the first negative analysis, should come within the next 72 hours.