Seemorerocks: ZH on Ebola

Ebola Pandemic Update: Probable Cases In Brazil And Paris, 7 More Isolated In Spain, WHO Warning

11 October, 2014

Despite claims of containment, Reuters reports seven more people turned themselves in late on Thursday to an Ebola isolation unit in Madrid; but following a visit by PM Rajoy, Spanish citizens can relax as the government is setting up a special Ebola committee. Following yesterday's scare in Paris, The Independent reports authorities are investigating a 'probable' case of a French national who may have contracted the disease in Africa. The World Health organization has warned that East Asia is at risk of becoming a "hot spot" for diseases - but is well prepared after SARS and avian flu but it is the appearance of a confirmed case in Brazil that is most concerning. A 47-year-old man, originally from Guinea, is LatAm's first case and suggests SOUTHCOM's "nightmare scenario" is closer than many would care to believe. Finally, the CDC has issued special guidance to 911 operators on dealing with suspected Ebola cases across America.

Spain continues to escalate (as Reuters reports)

Seven people turned themselves in late on Thursday to an Ebola isolation unit in Madrid where Teresa Romero, the nurse who became the first person to contract Ebola outside Africa, lay gravely ill.

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In Spain, recriminations mounted over Romero, who was infected in hospital as she treated two Spanish missionaries who had caught the hemorrhagic fever in West Africa -- where Ebola has already killed around 4,000 people -- and remained undiagnozed for days despite reporting her symptoms.

The seven new admissions included two hairdressers who had given Romero a beauty treatment before she was diagnosed with Ebola, and hospital staff who had treated the 44-year-old nurse. The Carlos III hospital said they had all turned themselves in voluntarily to be monitored for signs of the disease.

A hospital spokeswoman said there were now 14 people in the isolation unit on its sealed-off sixth floor, including Romero, her husband, and health workers who had cared for Romero since she was admitted on Monday.

But have no fear...

*SPAIN IS PREPARED TO DEAL WITH EBOLA, SAENZ DE SANTAMARIA SAYS

*SPAIN SETS UP SPECIAL EBOLA COMMITTEE, DEPUTY PM SAYS

*DEPUTY PM SAENZ SAYS SHE WILL CHAIR SPAIN EBOLA COMMITTEE

*SPAIN TO CREATE EBOLA CRISIS TEAM, PM RAJOY SAYS

*POSSIBILITY OF WIDER EBOLA CONTAGION VERY LOW, RAJOY SAYS

Following yesterday's false alarm, The Independent reports that France appears to have its first case...

Authorities in Paris are investigating a “probable” case of Ebola in a hospital, according to local reports.

Doctors are expected to receive results from medical tests on a woman who may have contracted the virus and is currently being treated in hospital on Friday, Europe 1 has reported.

They fear the woman may have contracted the virus in Africa. She is understood not to be a French national.

Brazil becomes the first South American country with a confirmed Ebola infection (as The Independent reports)

Brazil is treating a 47-year-old man who has become the country’s first suspected case of the deadly Ebola virus.

The man, originally from Guinea in West Africa, has been placed into isolation at a hospital in the city of Cascavel, where Brazil’s ministry of health have sent specialists to provide additional help and care.

He arrived in Brazil on 19 September and is believed to have travelled from Guinea.

On Thursday afternoon the man went to the emergency department at the hospital with a fever. His case is being treated by medics as suspicious as his symptoms have developed within the maximum incubation period for Ebola, which is 21 days.

Brazil’s ministry of health has reminded people that Ebola is transmitted through the contact with the blood, tissues or bodily fluids of sick individuals, or through the contact of contaminated objects or surfaces.

Which is what SOUTHCOM commander General John Kelly said was his "nightmare scenario"

In the US, the CDC has issued guidance for 9-1-1 operators dealing with suspected Ebola infected patient calls...

Who this is for: Managers of 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), EMS Agencies, EMS systems, law enforcement agencies and fire service agencies as well as individual emergency medical services providers (including emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, and medical first responders, such as law enforcement and fire service personnel).

What this is for: Guidance for handling inquiries and responding to patients with suspected Ebola symptoms, and for keeping workers safe.

How to use: Managers should use this information to understand and explain to staff how to respond and stay safe. Individual providers can use this information to respond to suspected Ebola patients and to stay safe.

Key Points:

The likelihood of contracting Ebola is extremely low unless a person has direct unprotected contact with the blood or body fluids (like urine, saliva, feces, vomit, sweat, and semen) of a person who is sick with Ebola or direct handling of bats or nonhuman primates from areas with Ebola outbreaks.

When risk of Ebola is elevated in their community, it is important for PSAPs to question callers about:

Residence in, or travel to, a country where an Ebola outbreak is occurring;

Signs and symptoms of Ebola (such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea); and

Other risk factors, like having touched someone who is sick with Ebola.

PSAPS should tell EMS personnel this information before they get to the location so they can put on the correct personal protective equipment (PPE).

EMS staff should check for symptoms and risk factors for Ebola. Staff should notify the receiving healthcare facility in advance when they are bringing a patient with suspected Ebola, so that proper infection control precautions can be taken.
The guidance provided in this document is based on current knowledge of Ebola.

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And finally, the World Health Organization is warning about risk in East Asia... (China Daily)

East Asia, with its trade and transport hubs and armies of migrant workers, is at risk from Ebola but is improving its defenses and may be more ready than other areas to respond if cases are diagnosed, World Health Organization officials said Friday.

Shin Young-soo, the WHO regional director for the Western Pacific, said East Asia has been a "hotspot" for emerging diseases in the past and has dealt with SARS and avian flu, so it is more prepared than other regions to respond after learning the importance of public education, strong surveillance and transparency.

"All these travel, economic trade, and we have global hubs like Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines is sending a lot of work forces all over the world," make it a possibility for the virus to reach East Asia, Shin said.

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It is not contained...