Two weeks since Duncan started having symptoms, 10 days since isolation. No one else symptomatic

[morningfog]

This is a good thing.

The incubation period for this strain has been 7-10 days for the majority of those who become infected. Obviously Dallas is not out of the woods yet. While it is still possible for symptoms to appear up to 21 days after exposure, that has not been typical over the past few months.

Hopefully nothing will change over the next week.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

1. this is a very good thing

especially for those stuck in the apartment with him and then his 'leavings'...

sP

[ChisolmTrailDem]

2. K & R. nt

[TwilightGardener]

3. Pure luck. Not skill or competence, sadly.

[morningfog]

6. Not skill or competence, no. But, luck in the nature of the virus and

that it is not easily transmitted.

[msanthrope]

4. He's dead, Jim. nt

[morningfog]

7. He's dead. But no one else is symptomatic, as of yet.

[Atman]

20. I got it.

[msanthrope]

21. See you that, and raise you this....

[MohRokTah]

5. Statistically, with as many as were exposed, somebody should be showing symptoms if...

this specific strain of Ebola has become more easily transmitted than prior experience dictates.

OF greater concern to me is the current hot spots where it's still growing and mutating. What worries me the most is that it could evolve into a form where shedding of the virus begins while the infected subject is still asymptomatic. If that happens, things will get much worse in those nations and the threat of it spreading outside of those hot spots increases dramatically.

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. Drs warning that virus can be viable AFTER a cure.

They were saying men could pass virus via sex weeks after recovery.

[MohRokTah]

10. That's been known with Ebola for some time now.

Remember, this disease has been known and observed quite a bit. That specific issue of spreading through fluid exchange was observed quite some time ago.

In the past, it was confined to small villages and typically ran its course. The change here is, it's spread to the poorer areas of large cities.

That means that even if they get it under control, it could still flare up due to the issue you point out.

[Baitball Blogger]

8. I imagine they can take blood samples from the potentially infected

to determine if they have the little beasties growing in their system.

[MohRokTah]

11. The test for Ebola requires active shedding of the virus.

That only occurs when the patient exhibits symptoms.

If they tested somebody for Ebola while they were asymptomatic and it came back positive, the CDC would immediately freak out because that is a mutation nobody wants to see.

Hopefully, they'll develop a better test that can actually tell if somebody is infected while asymptomatic.

[Chan790]

16. At first, I was thinking "why would the CDC freak out?"

The I realized why that would be a very very bad thing...because if they're viral shedding, they're contagious.

Asymptomatic contagion is the worst case scenario, worse than even the threat of it going airborne.

[LisaL]

17. Already a study came out that showed some people are infected but

not symptomatic.
So mutation isn't needed. It's already happening.

[rocktivity]

12. Unfortunately, Ebola can't be dectected during its incubation period

Last edited Wed Oct 8, 2014, 03:29 PM - Edit history (4)

at this point.

Vox.com: Testing travelers at US airports won't keep Ebola out

During the incubation period, which can last up to 21 days, the virus isn't detectable: there are no symptoms and there isn't enough of the virus in the bloodstream to show up on a test.

That means that there just isn't a way for border screening to detect all cases of Ebola, because some people may enter the country while still incubating the disease.

There was a test for THC that could detect such minute amounts it became useless: you could test positive just by walking on the same side of the street as someone who was smoking a joint. That's the kind of Ebola test we would need. Which means that the only sure fire way to keep future Thomas Duncans from entering other countries is a total travel ban.


rocktivity

[morningfog]

13. 11 days since isolation. Each day without a new infection

makes it much less likely there will be one.

[Chan790]

14. Actually, there was one yesterday afternoon. Edit:potentially-one. NO diagnosis yet.

The deputy that served the quarantine order to Duncan's family was taken to the hospital with "signs and symptoms of Ebola" for testing.

FRISCO — Paramedics transported a patient exhibiting "signs and symptoms of Ebola" from a Frisco CareNow clinic to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas on Wednesday afternoon.

Hours later, Dallas County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Michael Monnig of The Colony remained in isolation, undergoing tests for Ebola and more common viruses.

"Right now, there are more questions than answers about this case," said Wendell Watson, a spokesman with the hospital.

http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/health/2014/10/08/patient-frisco-ebola-suspect/16922477/

[seabeyond]

15. i agree. that would mean containment. first case in dallas. medical caught unaware. and still,

Last edited Thu Oct 9, 2014, 10:05 AM - Edit history (1)

they were able to contain, if things continue as it appears. that is a good thing.

[LisaL]

18. If nobody else got infected (and that is a big IF right now) it would not mean they were able to

contain. It would mean that somehow Mr. Duncan didn't infect anyone.

[seabeyond]

19. lol. no. doesnt work that way. firstly, the IF, is not that big, and every day gets smaller.

that would be the point of the OP.

secondly. if you ever did crisis control, anywhere in life. we have it everywhere in life. i was always the one assigned to deal. you know misstakes are gonna happen. the goal is to be damn good at recognizing and have the ability to address and resolve each of the issues that comes up.

this is what dallas did for the nation. first run. we will be better equipped. we still will not have a perfect run. humans involved. errors will be made. depends how good people are at damage control

[morningfog]

23. It's a smaller IF everyday. And, the somehow is because Ebola is not easy to catch.

[adigal]

22. Some experts more worried than we have been told

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-ebola-questions-20141007-story.html#page=2&panel=comments