Ebola Virus making Headlines again

Media hype and mass hysteria are far more of a threat to the populace.

Farhan Ismahin wrote: I just don't see anything particularly lethal about this strain of virus, at least not from a biological point of view, but I would be happy to be proven wrong.

Why do you say that history suggests otherwise?

If you can't see how a virus with a fatality rate of 60-90% and no known cure/prevention is "particularly lethal", than I doubt there is little I can say to change your mind.

Regarding the history question: Google "civilizations decimated by disease"

I'm immune to all diseases.

In West Africa, the man-made elements of conflict, confusion and culture have all combined to create a perfect-storm for Ebola. The scientist who first identified Ebola in 1976 gives direct and simple advice on how to contain this latest outbreak:

"Soap, gloves, isolating patients, not reusing needles and quarantining the contacts of those who are ill - in theory it should be very easy to contain Ebola," Dr Peter Piot told the BBC.

In practice, this is a much tougher proposition. The latest outbreak has emerged in war ravaged West Africa, where much of the health care infrastructure has been totally destroyed.

Poverty has combined with fear, ignorance and superstition, particularly in remote communities, where distrust of government is understandably high, and belief in witchcraft and sorcery is interwoven into everyday life.

Testing for Ebola often requires multiple blood tests – which is difficult to conduct in areas where strong cultural beliefs prohibit collection of a "life force".

In Liberia.. health care workers spraying chlorine – a cheap and effective counter to the spread of the disease - were attacked.

Just something I came across while reading about the virus. It is definitely deadly but much of the chaos is due to human elements and lack of medical infrastructure to contain it. Especially in war-torn Africa, where biosafety level 4 infrastructure and equipment (as directed by the WHO) may not be available. That could be the reason why many of the healthcare workers got infected; the infrastructure and equipment available just isn't sufficient.

In a wealthy country, it would be much easier to contain. But by infecting many people the chance of the virus mutating into a more infectious and virulent strain is high. Hopefully the people there learn to work together and get the funding to contain it soon. :/

Actafoolzz wrote: So how long will it take for airports to screen every arrival?

For a virus dating back to 1976 that emerges every 2-3 years killing 200-300 people, it gets easily dismissed as non-threatening to the world.

Currently, it is at a record high of over 1300 cases with a fatality rate of 60-90%. If there was an end to overpopulation on this planet, this would be it.

Ebola Virus killing people by creating fear. i think 90% of ebola sufferers were scared to death.

Hahahaahhaa Junwei

meanwhile... a scientist Dr Yoshihiro Kawaoka, professor of virology at University of Wisconsin at Madison, has modified the 2009 strain of pandemic influenza responsible for some 500,000 deaths worldwide to make it resistant to the human immune system's antibodies. now what if it leaked out?

www.dailymail.co.uk/...NT-vaccine.html

The Last Ship.

I'm very scared