Ebola virus..................

[The Jerk]

.............................. anybody worried about it?

[Edwardo Boi]

Maybe it's because it hasn't struck too close to home yet, but I'm not really feeling particularly concerned just yet. Maybe it will hit us, maybe it won't. Either way, I'd rather not worry about it unless it actually does- there are so many things out there that can kill us and inflict agony upon us, and ebola is just one on the list. Until death gatecrashes my life, I'll just spend some quality time without it

[EmmaImogen]

From what I've heard from sources I trust (such as this), we have no need to panic about Ebola in the West. Apparently it's a problem in west Africa because they don't always have the infrastructure, healthcare and access to clean water we have here. My feeling is that people with power and money should do more to help in Africa, where it's a huge threat, and do less scaremongering here.

[Focused]

Originally Posted by EmmaImogen

My feeling is that people with power and money should do more to help in Africa, where it's a huge threat, and do less scaremongering here.

Yep, your right.

[CyprusPluto]

Originally Posted by EmmaImogen

From what I've heard from sources I trust (such as this), we have no need to panic about Ebola in the West. Apparently it's a problem in west Africa because they don't always have the infrastructure, healthcare and access to clean water we have here. My feeling is that people with power and money should do more to help in Africa, where it's a huge threat, and do less scaremongering here.

You are right about helping more in the West African countries.

The problem could become worse if it's allowed to continue unchecked and then the west would have something to worry about. The contagion is very real and although the west has facilities to deal with outbreaks, if it is not curtailed even we could not cope with a mass outbreak.

[tyrael]

I find it difficult to be scared of something that can be prevented by basic hygiene.

[The Jerk]

.......your hygiene might be good, but what about other peoples!

.......for example.......http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-23777685

[Duke of Prunes]

It's scaremongering bullshit and would be even more of a non-issue if people in Africa actually bothered washing their hands.

[CyprusPluto]

Originally Posted by Duke of Prunes

It's scaremongering bullshit and would be even more of a non-issue if people in Africa actually bothered washing their hands.

[black_mamba]

Has anyone here ever read The Hot Zone (true life recall of an Ebola outbreak that inspired the film Outbreak)? Terrifying stuff. But strangely, no, I'm not scared.

[You Have 0 New Messages]

As I understand it, Ebola is more of a problem in climates where mosquitoes thrive. Given that it's transmitted through bodily fluids, mosquitoes give it a whole new vector through which to propagate. Otherwise, practice basic hygiene and keep your bodily fluids to yourself and you should be safe enough.

[Silent Ninja]

I'm not worried, I'm looking forward to the desolate landscape left when about 70% of the people in the world have died.



I'm not sure that basic hygene would stop the spread of Ebola (although I haven't looked anything up) otherwise health workers wouldn't be getting infected.

[Olly.]

Well I'm no expert, but I'm assuming it isn't as simple 'just wash your hands' in West Africa, like Troy says, I'd have thought the disease probably thrives in the West African climate and no, I'm not concerned about it personally living in the UK.

[neilm]

I imagine there probably will be a case or 2 here in the UK in the near future (which will no doubt lead to the usual media hysteria).

But from what I can make out there is very little chance a serious outbreak in a developed country so its not something Ime particularly worried about.

[tyrael]

You know what no one seems to be reporting on. How the firestone rubber plantation in Liberia is holding the virus at bay with nothing more than a botched together treatment facility.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/goatsandsod...-in-its-tracks

[Clayman]

Originally Posted by Troy

I'm not worried, I'm looking forward to the desolate landscape left when about 70% of the people in the world have died.
.

This is strangely appealing

[Silent Ninja]

Originally Posted by Troy

I'm not worried, I'm looking forward to the desolate landscape left when about 70% of the people in the world have died.

Originally Posted by Clayman

This is strangely appealing

Yes it would be much more peaceful, although hopefully there'd be enough of the people who know how to run power stations and stuff left to keep everything ticking over.

[Z.]

It's no surprise that it spread easily in Liberia and Sierra Leone, which have terrible public health systems. If you have a competent health system, ebola can be dealt with effectively. If you are worried about it coming over here, and maybe stealing our jobs, you don't have to worry.

[tyrael]

Originally Posted by Troy

Yes it would be much more peaceful, although hopefully there'd be enough of the people who know how to run power stations and stuff left to keep everything ticking over.

That reminds me of this comic.

[Z.]

Originally Posted by Gipsy Danger

Bloody Ebowler, cummin over 'ere, steelin' are jobs

Putting all our English viruses out of work.

[Tom Morello]

Dele Adebola 'as de cure.

[Silent Ninja]

We had an infected aid worker come back here, be treated and get better without any extra infections and with minimal fuss, maybe the NHS ain't so bad after all.

[Silent Ninja]

Originally Posted by tyrael

That reminds me of this comic.

This is unfortunately true

[LittleMissMouse]

In Europe not massively because we've got the facilities to deal with it, but in general, yeah, slightly worried.

At the moment the situation isn't massively scaring me because it is fairly localised, but if there ends up being infected cases travelling to other countries that don't have the facilities to deal with it, like India, sub-Saharan Africa and parts of southeast Asia and establishing pockets of infection there then it becomes a lot harder to deal with in terms of controlling the spread of cases globally.

[CyprusPluto]

A Sudanese man who was a volunteer UN doctor dies in Germany. It doesn't matter how good we think the European health systems are, Ebola is one, if not the most deadly viruses in the world.

We have a much better chance of survival than they do in West Africa and of course will be able to isolate cases much more effectively, but if you are one of the unlucky ones, then may your God help you

[The Lone Stranger]

I`m not worried but if I caught it I certainly would be!

[CyprusPluto]

Originally Posted by john smith

Well it can only be transmitted through human contact so there is more chance of me being hit by a Asteroid.

Sssshhhh..........The next meteor shower is the Orionids on the nights of October 20-21

[Sunshine Recorder]

Not worried in the slightest. Ebola has been around for such a long time, and it's only recently the media has found this to scare us with?

[Pablo Huntsbach]

They're trying to scare us with the possibility of it spreading here now but with more attention and aid this outbreak could have been stopped months (and probably the disease itself decades ago). People who cry out to stop foreign aid need to realise that the world is a smaller place than it used to be and a problem on one side of it will be a problem for the other side one way or another.

[Miaow]

Anyone get smacked on the head by an Orionid last night?