Ebola outbreaks

[Steve]

Hi all,

I've noticed some Ebola outbreaks are taking place of late. They always worry me as that virus seems to be so risky. It is a level 4 pathogen when AIDS even is only level 3.

A lot of work is being done to try and figure where it is coming from.

An outbreak this month, with the WHO talking of 24 cases and 16 deaths so far: http://www.who.int/csr/don/2012_08_14/en/index.html

I never get why we have big news stories on single deaths on the roads here etc..yet often no mention of very serious happenings like this elsewhere.

A map of Ebola from the WHO:


National Geographic talk of migrating birds etc..see their comments here: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...aorigin_2.html

If and when we do see cases in a city, if the expert talk is still of birds and bats, I have to wonder what action we will take. I assume we will poison/kill them all, a Britain without birds would be a big change. Will that ever happen I wonder?

I don't know if anyone has any views or thoughts on it all.

I wonder where it is all headed and what else may happen if/when there is an outbreak of the worst versions in a major city. My guess as a total non expert is that the odds seem more likely than those of me winning the lottery.

Steve

Later: Just noticed CDC info on this here: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/...ganda-2012.htm

[Bob]

Can't quite make out the key on that map, but I noticed immediately, that the dotted like includes a chunk of China (and Blanka and I are going there in November...

Not sure how much credence should be given to sites like this so should I be worrying?



Bob

[Steve]

Bob,

I think that map is 3 years old and shows where the fruit bats live within those lines. If China has never had a case it is probably one of the things you are unlikely to need to worry about. If a bat swoops at you maybe it will make you avoid it though, which seems a good idea.

It arriving in a city somewhere sometime seems pretty certain though doesn't it.

What we then try and do to kill it off is what I wonder about - mass slaughter of anything involved seems likely.

I didn't click the link as it isn't a site I know of. Will search on it later etc.

Steve

[Bob]

I didn't click the link as it isn't a site I know of. Will search on it later etc.

No worries - take it out if you think it might cause problems. It seems to have a story from someone with veiled accusions of the Chinese authorities making people with the disease "disappear"... Seems rather conspiracy-theoretical to me...

Bob

[Steve]

Bob,

China does kill its people doesn't it... I don't think it is disputed that they kill more of their own people than every other country in the World combined. Also that many deaths are secret, and that the total is considered a state secret.

Here is some info on countries that kill their own citizens etc. : http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datab...ountries-world

Steve

[Binu]

I read somewhere in between that Americans are cutting lot of funding for ebola research, so that also not good.

Binu

[Steve]

Binu,

Too many research labs with deadly viruses to play with is a huge risk. The US may be doing the right thing in keeping research to very few locations.

Recent history shows how dangerous labs playing with lethal material can be.

In the US, with things like Anthrax: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/de...anth-d28.shtml

In the UK with things like foot and mouth: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Un...mouth_outbreak

Steve

[Binu]

It's due to funding constraints.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19112510

[Steve]

Binu,

Hmmm... I don't personally believe that notion.

So, the US DOD spent heaps getting cures to the human trial stage, and then stopped both companies actually creating and marketing their solutions.

Defence spending is about creating or defeating weapons. Sounds to me like they are doing great at either protecting their troops from biological weapons used by others, or making it possible for them to use something as a weapon.

The US DOD isn't a healthcare agency, and it isn't short of money.

Steve