Ebola outbreak in Guinea an 'unprecedented epidemic'

[Jesus Malverde]

Source: AFP

Aid organisation Doctors Without Borders said Monday an Ebola outbreak suspected of killing at least 78 people in Guinea was an "unprecedented epidemic" that had spread across the west African nation.

We are facing an epidemic of a magnitude never before seen in terms of the distribution of cases in the country: Gueckedou, Macenta, Kissidougou, Nzerekore, and now Conakry," Mariano Lugli, the organisation's coordinator in the Guinean capital, said in a statement.

The group known by its initials in French MSF said by the end of the week it would have around 60 international field workers with experience in working on haemorrhagic fever divided between Conakry and the south-east of the country.

Its team includes doctors, nurses, epidemiologists, water and sanitation experts as well as anthropologists.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/ebola-outbreak-guinea-unprecedented-epidemic-150950731.html

[sakabatou]

1. I thought Ebola died.

How did it come back? New transmission?

[NickB79]

3. Where did you hear Ebola died out?

We still don't even know the natural reservoir of the virus in the wild; no population of animals has ever been found that harbors the virus but isn't wiped out by it themselves.

It's a microbiological black hole when it comes to information on it's source and history.

[sakabatou]

4. Years and years ago. Must've been in the 90s

[jeff47]

5. Individual outbreaks die out. The virus continues on.

The individual outbreaks die out. The virus spreads for a little bit, but then efforts to control the spread end the outbreak.

The virus lives on somewhere in the wilds. In some creature the virus is not that deadly, so it's able to survive. Eventually, another human catches the virus and we get another outbreak.

[sakabatou]

6. Yes, ebola outbreaks are short

But I wish there was more done to prevent it.

[Berlum]

2. Thank you Doctors Without Borders, for doing what you can

[tblue37]

9. Those people are incredibly brave. nt

[Mnemosyne]

7. I'm trying to find an update on the suspected case in Canada. nt

[bathroommonkey76]

8. The Canadian man was tested and ebola was ruled out

Tests Rule Out Ebola in Canadian Patient

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/health/ebola-like-symptoms-in-canada-may-be-a-false-alarm.html?_r=0

[Mnemosyne]

10. Very glad to hear that, thanks! nt

[Bosonic]

11. Ebola: Liberia confirms cases, Senegal shuts border

Ebola: Liberia confirms cases, Senegal shuts border

The first two cases of Ebola have been confirmed in Liberia, after spreading from neighbouring Guinea, where the deadly virus has killed 78 people.

The two Liberian cases are sisters, one of whom had recently returned from Guinea, officials say.

As concern grows over the outbreak, Senegal has closed its normally busy border with Guinea.

Ebola is spread by close contact and kills between 25% and 90% of its victims.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-26816438

[dembotoz]

12. ebola scares the shit out of me

[hedgehog]

13. Ebola spreads among humans in the presence of poverty and/or local custom -

It spreads among health care workers and patients when there is no access to gloves, face masks, sterile syringes, separate beds, etc. It spreads among families that customarily wash the dead bodies of relatives.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/

Fruit bats are considered the likely natural reservoir:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/11/1130_051130_ebolabathost.html

[question everything]

14. Scary (nt)

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

15. I just finished reading "The Hot Zone" yesterday

And then someone sent me this link today:
http://www.care2.com/causes/ebola-strain-in-west-africa-causing-unprecedented-outbreaks.html