And still more good stuff!
These infections could represent a normal rate of transmission for fully informed, trained health care workers during an outbreak. But in combination with the unprecedented scale of this epidemic, they may also suggest, at the least, that this is the most virulent and efficient strain of Ebola we’ve ever seen. At worst, we’re witnessing the onset of a deadly mutation anticipated and feared for almost four decades.
Below are excerpts I found from an exchange with a virologist. Interesting stuff.
The reason the media keeps repeating that mission medicine groups are pulling out is because they’ve never seen an outbreak in this scale before. Why they aren’t flying this patient to Fort Detrick containment facility first before Emory is unknown to me other than Emory and CDC have sequencing capabilities and Fort Detrick does not. I received a tweet from a colleague virologist in the field, Africa. His comment,“Much much worse than media is saying…. coming home”. I ask…..why wouldn’t they set up shop inside the massive BSL 4 facility at CDC? Emory? This virus has a 65% mortality rate not 80% which means it has traded off pathogenesis for the ability to “jump” i.e. move from patient to patient. Currently all that is known about this virus is that Blood or body fluid to mucus membrane direct contact, however, I now question that guideline recommendation for safe handling because the DOCTOR and NURSES who went straight away to the HOT ZONE are now infected and 2 nurses dead already that were trained to handle this virus infection in patients with “barrier protection” as recommended by CDC.
Bottom line: I believe this virus is traveling on micro droplets of lung water vapor thus the virus is airborne and bio-safety training for airborne virus means RESPIRATORS of which none of the personal on site are wearing and people are coming home from service in Africa who won’t know they are infected. This virus has a 21 day infectivity period. All virus in this class are limited for spreading and jumping because Ebola, Marburg, Lasa etc all KILL their host too fast i.e. 7-10 days and that includes primary infection to crash and bleed out. This virus is 21-30 days? Huge difference in number of people an infected person can get close to with an incubation of 21-30 days vs 7-10. I believe this virus is a mutant thus reason they are taking the patient to Emory so the CDC and Emory labs can sequence it. Fort Detrick does not have that capability. Call me crazy but I’m not leaving it to chance even with a minute chance of it happening. Be prepared my friend!
