Ebola Outbreak Empties Hotels as West Africa Borders Closed

[Purveyor]

By Pauline Bax, Sadibou Marone and Ougna Camara Apr 11, 2014 11:48 AM ET

Ibrahima Capi Camara’s phone at the Grand Hotel de L’Independence in Guinea’s capital hasn’t stopped ringing since an Ebola outbreak began last month, for all the wrong reasons.

“At least 80 percent of our reservations have been canceled,” Camara, general manager of the 217-room hotel in the heart of Conakry, said on April 8. “Clients are scared to come because of Ebola.”

West Africa is fighting to contain the spread of the disease that has claimed the lives of 111 people in Guinea and Liberia, the worst outbreak in seven years, and kills as many as nine out of 10 people who contract it. There’s no cure or vaccine for the hemorrhagic fever that will probably continue to spread in the region for a few more months, according to the World Health Organization.

Related: Ebola Outbreak to Continue for Several More Months: WHO

Measures such as closing borders and restricting travel “don’t make sense,” according to the WHO, which says avoiding close contact with patients will help contain the spread of the disease. That hasn’t stopped Senegal from shutting a border or Ivory Coast from barring buses from Liberia and Guinea. Rio de Janeiro-based Vale SA (VALE5), the world’s biggest iron-ore producer, sent foreign workers in Guinea back to their homes last week.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-11/ebola-fears-leave-hotels-empty-while-closing-west-africa-borders.html

[darkangel218]

1. The bigger problem will arise when the Ebola virus ( EBOV) will become airborne

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Stopping travel out of areas of infection does not seem dumb to me.

"which says avoiding close contact with patients will help contain the spread of the disease."
but how do you know someone has the disease in the early stages?

In Ebola virus and Marburg virus, signs and symptoms typically begin abruptly within five to 10 days of infection. Early signs and symptoms include:

Fever
Severe headache
Joint and muscle aches
Chills
Sore throat
Weakness

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ebola-virus/basics/symptoms/con-20031241


dozens of books and a few movies have been made fom the scenario of ebola-like diseases spreading acorss the world thanks to airplane travel.
And I wonder how many nefarious groups are trying to weaponize it.

Scary scary disease.

[Timez Squarez]

3. Robin Cook's Outbreak

comes into mind...

Good book.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. a later (?) book, the Hot Zone

was very chilling.

[JI7]

4. it may have come from bushmeat

but does that mean it is spread during the handling and preparing or even after it's cooked and eaten ?