Ebola crisis: 'Many exposed' to infected Mali girl

A two year old girl from Guinea has become the first person to die of The deadly Ebola virus in Mali. Until know, there had been no confirmed cases of the virus in Mali, but officials fear she has come into contact with many people on the 1,000km journey from her home in Guinea to the Western town of Kayes.

40+ people she has come into contact with on the journey have been identified and are currently being observed. It appears she may have come into contact with many others.

The girl who was exhibiting signs of the virus such as bleeding from the nose was travelling on public transport, which included travelling through the capital Bamako. Her Mother had died as a consequence of contracting Ebola and she was travelling from Guinea with relatives into Mali.

Okay, so we've been reassured that the virus is difficult to contract, but to be travelling1,000 km's on public transport after her Mother died of the virus, whilst exhibiting symptoms?

This is the difference of the disease taking hold in Western Africa and taking hold in the West. As soon as anybody has been identified as coming into contact with a victim, it appears they are immediately put into isolation and observed. Initially waiting the perceived 21 day incubation period, before being given the all clear, in the West.

In Western Africa, it appears that they are allowing people to travel freely despite a close member of their family dying from the virus.

Just what is going on? How has this been allowed to happen? Why hasn't WHO insisted on isolating family members who have come into contact with victims of this virus? They do not seem to have a handle on the situation in Western Africa at all or is it too large an area to gat an hold of?

www.bbc.co.uk...

originally posted by: Cobaltic1978
As soon as anybody has been identified as coming into contact with a victim, it appears they are immediately put into isolation and observed. Initially waiting the perceived 21 day incubation period, before being given the all clear, in the West.

They do not seem to have a handle on the situation in Western Africa at all or is it too large an area to gat an hold of?

www.bbc.co.uk...

I don't know if you're up on current events pal, but we've got a "Doctor" with ebola who just wandered around NYC like he was on tour.

The "west" doesn't have much of a handle on anything except crooked politics.

Of course, I'm only talking about the US here.
We know that the rest of the western world is following level four lockdown procedures.

a reply to: badgerprints

Yeah I have heard, but was he showing symptoms? Such as bleeding from his nose? What I've read is that he travelled all over New York on the subway, ate at a restaurant, even went bowling. But, and here' stone crunch, was he leaking bodily fluids?

What I am saying about Western Africa, is that this girl was showing symptoms, bodily fluids leaking out and allowed to travel 1,000 + kilometres through the capital of a country that has not had any confirmed cases of Ebola. Coming into contact with many people.

a reply to: Cobaltic1978

There's something of a difference.
1. We have the ability and the facilities to quarantine.
2. The people who have been endangering the population over here are all supposed to be trained medical professionals.
3. Politically, we've been pretending the dangers don't exist because of upcoming elections.

West Africa has little medical infrastructure.
Little transportation infrastructure
The governments are stretched to the limit trying to deal with thousands of cases of this disease.
A two year old girl in that environment is a lot less obvious than a "Doctor" in New York City going bowling with ebola.

a reply to: badgerprints

I agree with the facilities to quarantine, but if they knew the mother had died, why allow a potential virus carrier to travel into a country that has not had any confirmed cases? That, I just do not understand, considering the WHO are supposedly monitoring the situation over there.

Considering the size of the U.S and the amount of traffic that flows through, it's just surprising that there haven't been more cases.

The same can be said about the U.K. At the beginning of October we were told that within 3 weeks there would be additional cases of Ebola, but to date there isn't.

Don't get me wrong this is a good thing, but predictions and how the virus will spread in the West have been exaggerated I feel. I have a feeling that the case in New York will have the same conclusion as the Nurse in Dallas, which can only be a good thing.

a reply to: Cobaltic1978

I always wanted to go to Timbuktu, guess I can scrap that vacation idea.

It's a sad conclusion that the mom died then the 2 year old had to be moved. Not much to say about it, dealing with children especially after the death of the mom must of been difficult. Others don't know the mannerisms of children like their parents do. My daughter used to get nosebleeds often with a fever.
Walking the path is different then knowing it in this case.

That part of Africa is rich in history, we can hope those near her don't follow her fate. I can't imagine living in these areas through this and then factoring in kids as well. It's a far cry from what we experience here in the USA. Hope at times must be thin.

a reply to: Cobaltic1978

I dont get why people are saying it is NOT highly infectious. Is this something the TV is telling people? Just read actual studies on Ebola from major health organizations and researchers. Its really dangerous... Like REALLY contagious.

People, dont go crazy but be extra careful. This isnt a flu. Err on the side of caution.

The WHO is insisting on isolation, quarantine and monitoring but that all they can do.. they dont have any legal powers to enforce their recommendations in countries, contrary to what some people on believe the WHO is rather benign and cant just do what ever it likes.

It tragic that this young girl has lost her parents and has now fallen to EVD, unfortunately this is something that is regularly occurring just like how wars create a generation of orphans so to is ebola.

The relatives should have been more cautious in their movements, that only 40 people are considered contacts is a positive given the distance traveled and the conditions in these countries however i suspect it will rise.

Hopefully Mali will learn from Senegal and Nigeria both of which had imported cases and have been able to halt the spread in its tracks.

I think confusion comes from different peoples interpretations of infectious and contagious.. EVD is highly infectious in that it only takes a tiny amount of virus exposed to mucus membrane to become infected however its not highly contagious in that its not easy to expose your mucus membranes to the virus. But definitions of infectious and contagious are different depending on who you take to.