Ebola and other Epidemics, Inadequate Healthcare Threatens Millions

[Liep]

- That she knew she was infected from the news, not because it was officially communicated to her.

For all the inadequacies this has to top it all. Wow.

[Jacob]

What's the reasoning for putting down the dog?

[derspiess]

Spite.

[garbon]

What's the reasoning for putting down the dog?

I've seen them note concern that dog could transmit virus.

On a different note, man who fled to Texas has died.

[The Larch]

What's the reasoning for putting down the dog?

I've seen them note concern that dog could transmit virus.

Which AFAIK hasn't been proven, it's a "better safe than sorry" reasoning.

[lustindarkness]

The Dallas Zombie outbreak is about to start.

[Eddie Teach]

The Dallas Zombie outbreak is about to start.

Time to quarantine the state!

[Legbiter]

To all the Spanish languishites; it's been nice knowing you all. 

[grumbler]

On a different note, man who fled to Texas has died.

There goes the "0% mortality rate for Ebola if treated in the US" argument.

[grumbler]

Which AFAIK hasn't been proven, it's a "better safe than sorry" reasoning.

Plus, there is no clue as to what the incubation period may be for the virus in dogs.  For how long would you quarantine the dog, and could you ever in good conscience let it out of quarantine?  probably more merciful, if less logical, to put the dog down now, than after effectively torturing it for a while as part of a medical study.

[jimmy olsen]

I read somewhere that dogs are asymptomatic carriers.

[jimmy olsen]

- That her husband, who is also isolated in hospital, hasn't even been tested for ebola yet because he doesn't show any symptoms.

Tests won't come back positive before he develops symptoms even if he has it.

[Fate]

Every news piece that appears regarding the management of the outbreak in Madrid is more cringe worthy than the last. This must be the most shambolic management of a health crisis ever. If the world collapses in a zombie apocallipse it'll be because of our own ineptitude. So far we know:

- That the infected nurse was only tested for ebola at her own insistence, after being originally told to report to her local hospital for treatment, where she spent almost a whole day, instead of going directly to the hospital where she was working.
- That she knew she was infected from the news, not because it was officially communicated to her.
- That she was taken to hospital in a normal ambulance by unprotected operatives.
- That her appartment was only dissinfected today, even after neighbours had been trying to get help from the police and local authorities for several days.
- That her husband, who is also isolated in hospital, hasn't even been tested for ebola yet because he doesn't show any symptoms.
- That the original protocol for personnel that had been in contact with ebola patients was only to check their temperature twice per day and report if they had any fever.
- That the family dog will be put down even after experts ask for it to be quarantined so it can be studied and the role of animals in the transmission of ebola be better understood.
- That the first public hospital (La Paz) to be designed as reference for ebola was rejected because staff filed a formal complaint in court claiming it was unsuitable. Then another public hospital (Carlos III) got provisionally designed while a military hospital was equipped. The Carlos III, which used to be the national reference hospital for infectious diseases and pandemics, had been stripped of this status (halting staff training and drills in infectious diseases and) last year, as well as of laboratory and intensive care unit because it was transitioning to being a short stay hospital for the elderly. Hospital managers, when the second ebola victim brought back to Spain died in september, halted the adaptation of the hospital rooms devoted to patient isolation in order not to interfere with the refurbishing being done for the transition to short stay hospital.
- That official protocols were altered by the hospital management to adapt them to the infrastructural deficiencies of the hospital.
- That there was only one proper level 4 isolation suit that personnel should be using to deal with the sick, and it was only used for training purposes (which were only 45 minute sessions on how to wear them). Personnel were only given level 2 isolation suits, which are only suitable to deal with less infectious diseases like salmonella, influenza or smallpox.
- That more sanitary personnel had to be brought from La Paz hospital to the Carlos III hospital to work with ebola patients and were given no training whatsoever, under threats from the administrators if they refused. They had to be trained on the job by the undertrained personnel from the Carlos III.
- That high risk patients suspected to be infected are not taken into hospital through the standard route but through a basement where the kitchen and cafeteria are located, mingling in the way with staff and families of patients that use those premises, all in order to avoid being seen by the media camped outside the hospital.

This just shows what a terrible decision it was to repatriate the two sick missionaries and bring them here, when we didn't have the proper facilities to treat them.

You don't test people early on in the incubation period because the test isn't sensitive until viral loads are higher.

Spain most certainly had the proper facilities to treat those two missionaries, unless you're seriously suggesting your medical system is no better off than Liberia. All you need to treat an Ebola patient is an IV, normal saline, blood transfusions, and appropriate PPE equipment/training.

You don't need BSL 4 level gear (e.g. spacesuits) to treat Ebola patients. You need an impermeable gown, latex gloves, a hood, boots, and goggles. The nurse apparently did not follow proper procedure when taking off her PPE if she in fact touched he face with a gloved hand.

[Fate]

I read somewhere that dogs are asymptomatic carriers.

Yes this has been studied.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15757552

[Eddie Teach]

You don't need BSL 4 level gear (e.g. spacesuits) to treat Ebola patients. You need an impermeable gown, latex gloves, a hood, boots, and goggles. The nurse apparently did not follow proper procedure when taking off her PPE if she in fact touched he face with a gloved hand.

For most people, it's pretty fucking hard to resist touching their faces. The impulse will be there no matter how much training you go through.