Ebola has arrived in the US

[observer]

The fellow from Nigeria who has been hospitalized in Dallas Texas is in serious condition, it's said. The president of Nigeria has said that he will be arrested (if he survives) when back in that country, for lying on his exit form. He denied having come in contact with anyone with ebola, whereas actually, it's claimed, he helped his pregnant neighbor who later died of the disease.

Why lie?? Well, I suspect he had these tickets booked for a while - and, it seems, his girlfriend is in Dallas - and he said to himself "If I say that I've been around ebola, they'll never let me out of the country - and I am just fine". He'd probably end up forfeiting all the money he'd spent on tickets - AND not get to see his girlfriend. Pretty sure it wasn't his intent to bring the disease across the Atlantic.

[observer]

The news also says that there are police officers stationed in front of the residence where the girlfriend and others are being held in quarantine. Presumably, this is to insure they don't get out - and risk infecting others. With the Texan mentality, I would think it might also be to protect them from being attacked by Texans who are outraged that someone who stayed there had the audacity to bring this virus to Texas!

[retired2]

I would consider banning all travel from those countries

[observer]

Just to correct myself, it's Liberia - not Nigeria.

[gale force]

My first reaction is to agree with you Retired but then I think to myself, you can't prohibit travel like that. How about a quarantine for the number of days required to pass the incubation period, under tight control of authorities. The logistics of it would be a nightmare.

[tom278]

I would agree with retired about the travel ban at least until they develop a vaccination for it..

[observer]

I think travel bans are just about impossible. Could be North American medical people working there - coming home. If there's a travel ban - no flights to get! Could cross one border by land to get to an airport of a neighboring - unbanned country - to fly out.

If anything - the quarantine period - but again - if you're a business man or something - can you really afford to stay in quarantine for 12 -14 days before you board a flight? AND - what if someone else in quarantine is infectious? What happens then?

[observer]

It SHOULD be able to be recognized and dealt with in our first world countries. It IS only infectious if a bodily fluid of the sick person enters your bloodstream through an opening; you touch something and then put your hand to your mouth or nose could do it; or a cut on your hand etc. Most of the time it's health care workers that become infected - or poor people in those countries who are cleaning up after their sick loved ones without protection - or probably even the knowledge or belief that they need protection.

[retired2]

We certainly don;t have the answers, hope the powers to be do have the answers

[observer]

Yes - absolutely. Heard an infectious disease specialist on CBC news last night - saying we were "lucky" we'd had SARS and were very aware of dealing with infectious diseases.

[Ruby Tuesday]

I've been watching this whole ebola outbreak and it makes me very uneasy. They (Canadian and U.S. Health officials) sure seem confident that it can be controlled here.

I hope they are right, even though I'm not overly confident on that.

[kishgo]

Agree RT

[observer]

CBC News blurb today that a nurse in Spain - who had been involved with the treatment of a doctor who had contracted ebola in Africa - and was treated in Spain - has been diagnosed with the disease.

Not good to hear!

[Ruby Tuesday]

Another sick nurse in Spain. Results not confirmed, but she's one of the folks they were monitoring.

[kishgo]

The fellow mentioned in the first post, has died.

[observer]

Yes , I heard that.

[observer]

Wow! Ongoing schmozzle is Dallas it seems. "We are prepared" - Yeah! Right!

[retired2]

Might come to no flights from these countries to North America. Medical teams to be flown on Govt planes, no other passengers

[observer]

Not effective! Why can't those people just go somewhere else FIRST? - and then on to where they really want to be. Gotta solve the problem at source, it seems to me!

[observer]

Well, retired - seems you ended up being at least partly right. Canada no longer issues visas to those living in those affected countries. My understanding is, however, that they won't deny re-entry to Canadians who have been there.

[retired2]

We have to let Canadians back in but maybe should quarantine them for a bit. I was quarantined on a cruise ship for a few days this year and it wasn;t ebola

[Ruby Tuesday]

You were probably quarantined for disorderly conduct.

Just kidding, I know you were ill.

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