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Ebola

jessybell

By jessybell,
in Cunard Line

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PunkiC

PunkiC

Posted
Posted
According to several reports, a US Coast Guard helicopter flew to the Carnival Magic ship this afternoon to obtain blood samples from the reportedly symptom-free health care worker on board who might have been exposed to lab specimens from a deceased Ebola patient in the hospital in Dallas.

 

M/S Magic is scheduled to dock in Port Galveston on Sunday morning (19 Oct.)

 

Wonderful, they get the blood sample, after the incubation period has passed, to confirm that the she is Ebola-free.

 

Actually it really is an intelligent move to get a blood sample so they can PROVE that she didn't have, doesn't have, Ebola, because it will help stem the craziness.

 

Today, for instance, I was talking on the phone to a friend who told me that they couldn't schedule a flight because of the Ebola scare. Really? I told her that her chances of winning the lottery three weeks in a row were better than her chances of catching Ebola on an airplane.

 

How many of you know, or have met, someone who has, or has died from, AIDS? If you fly often, it is a safe bet that you have flown with someone infected with AIDS. I say AIDS because it is transmitted is pretty much the same way as Ebola. Do you worry about catching AIDS?

 

How many of you personally know, or have met someone who has, or has died from, Ebola?

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Cats2010

Cats2010

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How many of you personally know, or have met someone who has, or has died from, Ebola?

 

The point is how many have died or have been infected by Ebola and not how many of this forum have known or met somebody who has did from it.

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CI66774

CI66774

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Wonderful, they get the blood sample, after the incubation period has passed, to confirm that the she is Ebola-free.

 

Actually it really is an intelligent move to get a blood sample so they can PROVE that she didn't have, doesn't have, Ebola, because it will help stem the craziness.

 

Today, for instance, I was talking on the phone to a friend who told me that they couldn't schedule a flight because of the Ebola scare. Really? I told her that her chances of winning the lottery three weeks in a row were better than her chances of catching Ebola on an airplane.

 

How many of you know, or have met, someone who has, or has died from, AIDS? If you fly often, it is a safe bet that you have flown with someone infected with AIDS. I say AIDS because it is transmitted is pretty much the same way as Ebola. Do you worry about catching AIDS?

 

How many of you personally know, or have met someone who has, or has died from, Ebola?

 

Actually AIDS is more difficult to transmit than Ebola. HIV is not found in vomit, saliva, feces, etc. Ebola virus is found in vomit, saliva, feces, etc. AIDS is, primarily, a sexually transmitted disease. Of course, people can get AIDS from blood transfusions, dirty needles, etc., but most people who have died have acquired it through sexual activity.

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PunkiC

PunkiC

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You don't have a clue, do you ?

 

A clue about what?

 

Both AIDS and Ebola are transmitted by contact with bodily fluids containing the virus:

 

"But in Ebola's case, the mode of transmission probably helps keep its R0 low. Ebola isn't spread through the air, like the measles or flu. It requires close contact with some bodily fluid, such as blood or vomit, containing the virus."

 

A person with Ebola, however, will on average only infect two other people, whereas a person with HIV will, on average, infect four. See: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/10/02/352983774/no-seriously-how-contagious-is-ebola

 

As predicted, the whole Carnival incident has turned out to be much ado about nothing. A huge waste of time, energy and money.

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ToadOfToadHall

ToadOfToadHall

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AIDS is spread through sexual activity and by the sharing of needles. Ebola is spread through simply coming into contact with bodily fluids (vomit etc). You can't catch AIDS simply by coming into contact, with, for example, vomit, feces etc.

 

So it's a very different method of transmission. It would be relatively easy to contract Ebola, but relatively hard to contract AIDS.

 

Here's two web sites if you are struggling to understand the differences in transmission:

 

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/ebola-virus/Pages/how-it-spreads.aspx

 

http://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/how-you-get-hiv-aids/

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balf

balf

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A clue about what?

 

Both AIDS and Ebola are transmitted by contact with bodily fluids containing the virus:

 

"But in Ebola's case, the mode of transmission probably helps keep its R0 low. Ebola isn't spread through the air, like the measles or flu. It requires close contact with some bodily fluid, such as blood or vomit, containing the virus."

 

A person with Ebola, however, will on average only infect two other people, whereas a person with HIV will, on average, infect four. See: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/10/02/352983774/no-seriously-how-contagious-is-ebola

 

As predicted, the whole Carnival incident has turned out to be much ado about nothing. A huge waste of time, energy and money.

 

No, you really don't have a clue.

 

Years ago Princess Diana demonstrated to all the ignorant that you don't get AIDS by touching a sufferer(she pointedly shook hands and chatted with them.

 

I don't need to detail it. Look it up there's lots on the web.

 

David.

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Cruachan

Cruachan

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Wonderful, they get the blood sample, after the incubation period has passed, to confirm that the she is Ebola-free.

 

Actually it really is an intelligent move to get a blood sample so they can PROVE that she didn't have, doesn't have, Ebola, because it will help stem the craziness.

 

Today, for instance, I was talking on the phone to a friend who told me that they couldn't schedule a flight because of the Ebola scare. Really? I told her that her chances of winning the lottery three weeks in a row were better than her chances of catching Ebola on an airplane.

 

How many of you know, or have met, someone who has, or has died from, AIDS? If you fly often, it is a safe bet that you have flown with someone infected with AIDS. I say AIDS because it is transmitted is pretty much the same way as Ebola. Do you worry about catching AIDS?

 

How many of you personally know, or have met someone who has, or has died from, Ebola?

 

They are now reporting that the blood test was negative.

 

J

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PunkiC

PunkiC

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I don't maintain, and have never maintained, that Ebola and AIDS are identical, only that they are both transmitted through bodily fluids, and that it is unlikely that you are going to catch either one on an airplane or a cruise ship.

 

The chances of getting killed driving to the airport or ship terminal are far higher than the chances of getting Ebola once you board a plane or a ship.

 

If, however, folks want to worry about it, they most certainly are entitled to do so, just as I am entitled to think such worry is silly.

 

I am not saying throw caution to the wind, but seriously one and only one person in the USA has died of Ebola, and the only two people who have contracted Ebola in the US were hospital staff who treated that person.

 

Duncan (the Ebola patient who has died) had previously spent four days interacting with other people outside the hospital, while he had active symptoms, before he was admitted to the hospital. Today ends their incubation period and none of them have any symptoms of the disease.

 

The two nurses who contracted Ebola are getting excellent medical care and are doing well. I pray for both of them and their families.

 

Since Duncan was admitted to the hospital, over 1,800 people in the USA have died in vehicle accidents and I don't believe any have died on airplanes or cruise ships, other than from natural causes.

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ToadOfToadHall

ToadOfToadHall

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I don't maintain, and have never maintained, that Ebola and AIDS are identical

 

I can't image where I got the impression that you did. Oh, hang on, was it ?

 

I say AIDS because it is transmitted is pretty much the same way as Ebola.

 

Yes, that would be it. I've made the same mistake again as I did on your thread about people in the UK not accepting the Euro. I've foolishly read what you're written and assumed (stupidly) that's what you meant.

 

You see, the problem with claiming you never said something, when in fact you clearly did, is that on a forum, all your previous comments are recorded for all to read. It makes back peddling quite difficult, but you still attempt it.

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Salacia

Salacia

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A clue about what?

 

Both AIDS and Ebola are transmitted by contact with bodily fluids containing the virus:

 

"But in Ebola's case, the mode of transmission probably helps keep its R0 low. Ebola isn't spread through the air, like the measles or flu. It requires close contact with some bodily fluid, such as blood or vomit, containing the virus."

 

A person with Ebola, however, will on average only infect two other people, whereas a person with HIV will, on average, infect four. See: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/10/02/352983774/no-seriously-how-contagious-is-ebola

As predicted, the whole Carnival incident has turned out to be much ado about nothing. A huge waste of time, energy and money.

 

 

PunkiC, Read the last line in the article you quoted: "So even though they have similar R0s, Ebola's infections per unit of time is much higher than HIV's".

 

 

Because the lab worker thankfully tested negative for the virus, it can be argued by some that the "incident" was "a huge waste of time, energy and money". However, had the test result been positive, the reaction obviously would have been entirely different. Of course, if the lab worker had been told not to get on a cruise ship (or any form of public transportation) until 21 days after possible exposure to Ebola, there would have been no "incident". -S.

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Salacia

Salacia

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Posted (edited)

Regarding the Carnival Magic "incident", what I'm having trouble understanding why the US Department of State got into such a dust up with the authorities in Belize and Cozumel. It was reported that the passenger showed no symptoms while on board, so why was the US Government and Carnival so anxious to off-load her?

 

Since the passenger in question was reported as showing no symptoms, why was a US Coast Guard helicopter flown to the ship to pick up her blood specimens when health authorities have told us that unless symptoms are shown, the virus load is undetectable in blood samples? (Nothing was mentioned about her cabin mate's condition.) So how pointless was it to send in a chopper to collect samples that could be obtained a few hours later when the ship was within distance of the port?

Edited by Salacia
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Cats2010

Cats2010

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Regarding the Carnival Magic "incident", what I'm having trouble understanding why the US Department of State got into such a dust up with the authorities in Belize and Cozumel. It was reported that the passenger showed no symptoms while on board, so why was the US Government and Carnival so anxious to off-load her?

 

Since the passenger in question was reported as showing no symptoms, why was a US Coast Guard helicopter flown to the ship to pick up her blood specimens when health authorities have told us that unless symptoms are shown, the virus load is undetectable in blood samples? (Nothing was mentioned about her cabin mate's condition.) So how pointless was it to send in a chopper to collect samples that could be obtained a few hours later when the ship was within distance of the port?

 

As to Belize and Cozumel: Both of them were most probably concerned because they do not have neither the infrastructure nor the medicine to combat the infection so as to be on the safe side and prevent possible negative consequences on their people and, in addition, they have their own legislation and don't want to accept other countries' rules - I guess.

 

What could be is a second blood test to be on the safe side, which is quite common in important medical cases, and in this particular one the time factor also plays a role - I guess.

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Underwatr

Underwatr

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Regarding the Carnival Magic "incident", what I'm having trouble understanding why the US Department of State got into such a dust up with the authorities in Belize and Cozumel. It was reported that the passenger showed no symptoms while on board, so why was the US Government and Carnival so anxious to off-load her?

 

Since the passenger in question was reported as showing no symptoms, why was a US Coast Guard helicopter flown to the ship to pick up her blood specimens when health authorities have told us that unless symptoms are shown, the virus load is undetectable in blood samples? (Nothing was mentioned about her cabin mate's condition.) So how pointless was it to send in a chopper to collect samples that could be obtained a few hours later when the ship was within distance of the port?

After the messup in Dallas the CDC's approach has changed to doing anything that might be prudent for the 99.999% case. Always the most cautious action, never do just A when A, B and C wouldn't might conceivably be what someone would later think you should have done.

 

I think they're reacting to public scrutiny and it's confusing to those who recognized why they weren't this extreme at the outset.

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DDBINK1

DDBINK1

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Regarding the Carnival Magic "incident", what I'm having trouble understanding why the US Department of State got into such a dust up with the authorities in Belize and Cozumel. It was reported that the passenger showed no symptoms while on board, so why was the US Government and Carnival so anxious to off-load her?

 

Since the passenger in question was reported as showing no symptoms, why was a US Coast Guard helicopter flown to the ship to pick up her blood specimens when health authorities have told us that unless symptoms are shown, the virus load is undetectable in blood samples? (Nothing was mentioned about her cabin mate's condition.) So how pointless was it to send in a chopper to collect samples that could be obtained a few hours later when the ship was within distance of the port?

 

I have a suspicion that they were possibly contemplating putting the entire ship in quarantine for 21 days. Not letting them dock. It had to have gone through the minds of the epidemiologists. If she had the virus, they would have had to track her movements, who she was in contact with and track them for 21 days. How do you do that on a ship that large? Thousands of people. It would have been a nightmare. I am glad she did not have it. She was also near the end of the 21 day period if not past it also. They may have wanted to be sure??

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