WHO declares Ebola epidemic an international health emergency

(Reuters) - West Africa's Ebola epidemic is an "extraordinary event" and now constitutes an international health risk, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday.

The Geneva-based U.N. health agency said the possible consequences of a further international spread of the outbreak, which has killed almost 1,000 people in four West African countries, were "particularly serious" in view of the virulence of the virus.

"A coordinated international response is deemed essential to stop and reverse the international spread of Ebola," the WHO said in a statement after a two-day meeting of its emergency committee on Ebola. The declaration of an international emergency will have the effect of raising the level of vigilance for transmission of the virus.

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REUTERS

a reply to: dollukka
The declaration starts ponderous machinery into motion...but like all ponderous organisations it takes too long to get adequate response levels up and running....
CDC says they can beat it in Africa but it will be months and not easy.....America has only one contamination containment aircraft.....Right now the African Governments are losing the battle....The logistics beyond their primitive systems to handle this size emergency....
NGOs fill the gap but they are stretched to breaking....
I would estimate that there may be ten to a hundred times more deaths easily in the many countries its infected....
It all depends on how quickly the rest of the world will react.....

The declaration of an international emergency will have the effect of raising the level of vigilance for transmission of the virus.

Very vigilantly watching it spread…

Benin could be fifth country to report Ebola cases

In times like these remain ever vigilant and think smart, be mindful of the propaganda and the fear factory.

There's money to be made and safety and security to be forfeited.

Here's what's got me a tad worried. I'm in Africa right now, on the eastern side. Which is about 2 1/3 United States length. Africa is WAY bigger than a lot of people realize. But you also have people who are hiding and fleeing because they have Ebola. Travel isn't too restricted in most of Africa either. As a specialist in Chemical and Biological warfare I know that the Ebola could spread like wildfire and it's only a matter of time until it does get much worse. They should have never brought any of the infected to the US. Anybody and everybody infected or have been in contact with should be quarantined.

It´s definately puts things into motion..

Tekmira announced that the F.D.A., while still saying the drug, called TKM-Ebola, should not be given to healthy volunteers, was now allowing its use to treat patients actually infected with the virus.

Second Drug Is Allowed for Treatment of Ebola

a reply to: dollukka
I thought the World Health Organisation were the leading body for disease containment but it seems every country does its own thing.

In the UK we were shown a contamination cell presumably within a hospital, but I got the impression we only have one for diseases like Ebola.

I am concerned that Spain has brought back home a national rather than treating the man in Africa. Someone raised the point that the two American doctors would have had no contact with body fluids with the people they treated, so how did they catch Ebola? If this is correct, have the Spannish done a wise thing?

a reply to: dollukka

Could be that Ebola was spread as an excuse to test their treatments on human subjects. You never know we do some dirty stuff.

a reply to: Shiloh7

We are so scared of airborne viruses that we don´t see that other viruses can also be virulent like noro virus is. It only needs someone to touch same door handle or use same sanitation facilities than someone who is infected has touched.

a reply to: Wanderer777

Yup it's really hard to contain everyone in that area so the risk of it spreading is very high. Lets hope one of the nations there does not get the bright idea to use the infected to attack another there.

a reply to: Wanderer777

As a specialist in Chemical and Biological warfare I know that the Ebola could spread like wildfire and it's only a matter of time until it does get much worse.

Thanks Wanderer for the insight. Like you, I know the potential here is far worse than many people seem to realize.

Its not fear mongering to disseminate the truth.

originally posted by: intrptr

The declaration of an international emergency will have the effect of raising the level of vigilance for transmission of the virus.

Very vigilantly watching it spread…

Benin could be fifth country to report Ebola cases

Benin could be first country discovered after Ebola scare.

Seriously, I forgot this country existed. It's been a while since I had to remember African countries.

a reply to: intrptr

Yeah definitely not fear mongering to observe what's going on and what potential this virus has for spreading. Most of the spreading is lack of proper facilities to isolate the infected.

a reply to: Wanderer777

Nowhere is Africa as wide as 2 and a half US. Maybe from North to South, but not East to West. It's no doubt several US in land mass, but just not as wide as 2 and a half US.

I started out to reply to something else you said, but I had to address that, not intending to just pick on you.

I personally don't think Ebola has the potential to outbreak outside of the a third world setting. Sure it will touch other parts of the world traveling from third world to first world, but it won't get by long in the western world.

Now if it were a weaponized version, like Russias alleged Ebolapox, or something else, then maybe, but in it's current form I just don't see it.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Wanderer777

As a specialist in Chemical and Biological warfare I know that the Ebola could spread like wildfire and it's only a matter of time until it does get much worse.

Thanks Wanderer for the insight. Like you, I know the potential here is far worse than many people seem to realize.

Its not fear mongering to disseminate the truth.

Eh, I personally think it's been over blown. It has no real potential for mass human casualties. The flu is of much more concern. I saw CNN had horror stories for days on end and then posted a headline '5 reasons not to panic over Ebola' or some similar title.

You have to consider how a virus spreads. Look here at the chart listed on the wiki pages for the basic reproduction number.. Ebola has one of the lower r nought numbers because it only spreads through bodily fluid and direct contact with infected bodily fluid. One person is expected to infect maybe 1 - 4 people, meanwhile a virus like the measles has a crazy high number and every person with it is expected to infect 12 - 18 others.

So if ebola ever starts to spread through the air like the measles.. then you have something to worry about.

originally posted by: GogoVicMorrow

originally posted by: intrptr

The declaration of an international emergency will have the effect of raising the level of vigilance for transmission of the virus.

Very vigilantly watching it spread…

Benin could be fifth country to report Ebola cases

Benin could be first country discovered after Ebola scare.

Seriously, I forgot this country existed. It's been a while since I had to remember African countries.

Lol, I never heard of it before. Becomes more significant though, when you consider…

Tiny Benin shares a border with Nigeria, which has recorded seven Ebola cases including two deaths in its largest city Lagos.

Cotonou is just a few hours drive from Lagos and there is significant traffic between the two cities each day, especially among traders.
previous link

Wanderer pointed out the porous nature between African borders. It is one of the reasons the potential is so high for this epidemic to become a plague. The long incubation period contributes to this as well. People can hike a long ways in 21 days.

a reply to: GogoVicMorrow

Well we were briefed about all of Africa size, countries, and languages before we were deployed here. Trust me I know all about weaponized bioweapons. It seems great in theory but much harder to do in practice, especially with a virus spread prominently through bodily fluids. Bioweapons are impossible to control. No one would use anything that travels through bodily fluids because it takes too much time, but those diseases are not to be underestimated in their danger and their infectivity.

You don't need to see it, but I'm also not trying to say it's the end of the world. I'm saying this could be disastrous because it takes 2-21 days for symptoms to show. I deal with dozens of people each day now imagine after 21 days. The doctors working on this do not have the resources or man power to stop this virus. All it takes is 1 person. Now let's look at AIDS. That's transferred with bodily fluids as well and look how much it's spread. AIDS came from Africa which is where the Ebola is. Granted it was 35-40 years ago (forgive my math here).

So lack of resources and manpower means that these doctors and other workers are working harder and sleeping less. That equals to more mistakes which makes it easier to spread. Just saying it could spread much easier than people think.

Have a blessed day! Much Love!

a reply to: GogoVicMorrow

Hey Vic…

…because it only spreads through bodily fluid and direct contact with infected bodily fluid.

Maybe you didn't know that is contradicted by the CDC:

…including body substances, contaminated medical supplies and equipment, contaminated environmental surfaces…

CDC, transmission of Ebola

A few things to consider:

Here in Australia we are going through one of the worst FLU seasons for some time, Many people, myself included, who rarely get sick are coming down with secondary bacterial pneumonia from this newly created strain.

What will Winter in the Us and Europe be like if for some strange occurrence the Ebola Virus just happens to get in bed with a strain of Influenza A,B or C.

It's not about fear mongering it's about considering what humans are capable of...

a reply to: subtopia

Timing.. soon summer vacations ends in most of the countries and new semester in schools starts in couple weeks ( next week here ). Kids are very good on spreading viruses.
I surely hope that this epidemic fades away and health care is taking all the safety measures needed as it is second most deadliest virus on earth, you can´t compare this to seasonal flu.