Ebola in TX

[T.Lex]

Ok, reading more about the 2nd health care worker and have a couple observations.

It does look like both of these nurses were infected by Duncan. So, that's good in a way. It means we likely don't have other cases in the wild and it (hopefully) means the medical staff isn't infecting each other (and logically, other patients).

But, it is still not clear to me when in Duncan's treatment these two medical workers were infected. First visit, or once he was admitted?

Also interesting that none of the family/friends he had direct contact with have been reported as infected. That suggests to me that we still don't know enough about the methods of transmission.

 

[T.Lex]

Honest question - is it possible that the sicker the infected patient is, the more virulent the virus becomes?

And, voila:
New Dallas Ebola Case Was Isolated 'Within 90 Minutes': Officials - NBC News

Health experts say that Ebola patients become progressively more infectious as they get sicker, and the virus is spread in vomit, diarrhea and other bodily fluids. Quick isolation of a patient before they start to show these symptoms can help prevent spread.

I cannot figure out how we presented the paradigm so wrong on this. #CDCsucks

 

[ghuns]

But, it is still not clear to me when in Duncan's treatment these two medical workers were infected. First visit, or once he was admitted?

From all I have read, it was after he was admitted. Didn't save any of the links. Just google "Ebola Dallas", I'm sure an article or two will pop up.

 

[Vigilant]

Ok then, a 23 day quarantine for all international arrivals!

 

[T.Lex]

haha

Yeah, that's what I thought about the first one, but then a bunch of stuff came out about how much time he was in the waiting room, etc.

If both were while he was in isolation, I think the hospital training was... insufficient.

ETA:
Ah - as of yesterday, they still didn't know.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/13/health/ebola-nurse-how-could-this-happen/index.html

Frieden has spoken of possible ways she became infected. It could have happened when the nurse removed her protective gear -- a bit of infected bodily fluid somehow touching her -- or it she could have come into contact with infected fluid as Duncan received kidney dialysis or respiratory intubation.
Those procedures were "a desperate measure to try to save his life," Frieden said. "Both of those procedures may spread contaminated materials and are considered high-risk procedures."
He said, "When you have potentially soiled or contaminated gloves or masks or other things, to remove those without any risk of any contaminated material ... touching you and being then on your clothes or face or skin ... is not easy to do right."
Or the problem could have been something else entirely.

 

[ViperJock]

From all I have read, it was after he was admitted. Didn't save any of the links. Just google "Ebola Dallas", I'm sure an article or two will pop up.

They were in PPE so it had to have been the second time.

 

[ViperJock]

Can we get the two Ebola threads merged?

 

[T.Lex]

Can we get the two Ebola threads merged?

I (respectfully) disagree. While they sometimes overlap, the other thread is generally more focused on the foreign infections and how the experience there can inform preparedness here.

A couple of the posts in that other thread might be more appropriate in this thread, as they relate specifically to the Texas outbreak. But, generally, I think they deserve to be separate.

Again, not trying to be argumentative, just stating my opinion. :beer:

 

[bradmedic04]

I (respectfully) disagree. While they sometimes overlap, the other thread is generally more focused on the foreign infections and how the experience there can inform preparedness here.

A couple of the posts in that other thread might be more appropriate in this thread, as they relate specifically to the Texas outbreak. But, generally, I think they deserve to be separate.

Again, not trying to be argumentative, just stating my opinion. :beer:

In all seriousness, we have an accomplished virologist in the family whom I spoke to at length about Ebola. Short version, he's not terribly worried about it spreading unchecked in the US, though he is concerned about a lack of leadership in this country, and that someone should have taken the reigns firmly weeks ago and squashed this whole thing.

He also promised to give us a call when he's headed into his bunker. I'll pass that along, should that day come.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

The PJ Tatler » Dallas Nurse?s Boyfriend in Isolation for Possible Exposure to Ebola

Unconfirmed third ebola patient in Dallas, Pham’s boyfriend

 

[printcraft]

The Flu still scares me more

The flu is much more widespread of a disease than ebola.

All things being equal, which they are not, if ebola was a widespread as the flu the death rate would dwarf anything the flu could possibly throw at us.
The fatality percentage is just too high.

How many millions in the US have had the flu last year and out of those how many thousands died?
Now, if you would be counting the same millions of cases of ebola I think the number of deaths would be in the 100's of thousands easily.

The flu is a more successful disease because it keeps the host alive to further spread the disease.
The ebola, while more deadly has a limiting effect of transmission because the carriers die before they have the chance to spread it. It kills too well.

 

[CathyInBlue]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/16/us/ebola-outbreak-texas.html

A second nurse who cared for Thomas Eric Duncan has tested positive for the Big-E, and I'm not talking about the U.S.S. Enterprise.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, EXPONENTIAL GROWTH IS EXPONENTIAL! This is all gonna get a hellacious amount worse before it starts getting better.

UPDATE: This second nurse flew on a commercial passenger airliner the night before she tested positive.

 

[87iroc]

I was reading this morning about the nurses union(keep reading...don't tune out) responding to the CDC director running his mouth about a breach in protocol said that there was no protocol. Nurses weren't given any sufficient training and were told many different things. Protocol kept changing.

Why, did the first person to come to the US and then the second one go to specialty units to be taken care of...and these 'civilian' cases simply get pushed into an untrained hospital. There's a monkey and a football going on here.

Here's one article...quick google. Not sure if its the same one as came across FB...
Nurses? Union: Ebola Patient Left In Open Area Of ER For Hours « CBS Houston

 

[T.Lex]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/16/us/ebola-outbreak-texas.html

A second nurse who cared for Thomas Eric Duncan has tested positive for the Big-E, and I'm not talking about the U.S.S. Enterprise.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, EXPONENTIAL GROWTH IS EXPONENTIAL! This is all gonna get a hellacious amount worse before it starts getting better.

Yeah, I meant to go back and grab your earlier quote. So far, you're right. Duncan's infection rate is 2.0 at this point.

In West Africa, based on current numbers, the growth is no longer exponential - it has flattened out - but in the US, it is what it is. We had 1 case diagnosed in (late) September. Now we're at 2 for October. The numbers are low, so far, but the rate is troubling. If we can keep it at 2 for the rest of the month (try to control your giggling), I have hope that it will be contained.

If not....

 

[ArcadiaGP]

CDC, Frontier Airlines say 2nd healthcare worker with Ebola traveled by air on Oct. 13


Can we start calling the CDC and NIH the Umbrella Corp yet?

 

[T.Lex]

CDC, Frontier Airlines say 2nd healthcare worker with Ebola traveled by air on Oct. 13

Shirley she wasn't symptomatic. I mean, she was a medical worker who knew she was exposed to ebola. Pham, the first nurse was symptomatic on Oct. 10.

New nurse could just be a late bloomer in terms of the virus becoming contagious.

Nothing to worry about, I'm sure. The CDC has a team. A team of experts. A team of experts on the scene. Doing expert things.

Nothing to worry about.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Now worry

BREAKING: 2nd ebola worker flew Frontier flight 1143 from Cleveland to Dallas evening before going to hospital. CDC seeking all passengers

That's too close.

 

[pudly]

Nothing to worry about, I'm sure. The CDC has a team. A team of experts. A team of experts on the scene. Doing expert things.

As bad as Ebola is, it's the (justified) lack of faith in the honesty and competence of the relevant authorities that drives peoples concern.

 

[T.Lex]

No no no, you have it all wrong.

She wasn't symptomatic until she was symptomatic. That wasn't until WAY after she got off the plane. Hours and hours after. The CDC says....

 

[ArcadiaGP]

http://mashable.com/2014/10/15/dallas-ebola-frontier-airline-nurse/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link

http://fox8.com/2014/10/15/cdc-noti...a-patient-traveled-on-flight-from-cle-monday/