Ebola Experts Warn of an African 'Apocalypse'

[n2doc]

At an emergency hearing in Washington Thursday afternoon, major players in the fight against Ebola in West Africa addressed the outbreak that has stolen the lives of more than 900. Leaders from health agencies and humanitarian efforts addressed the need for increased support as one called the current state of affairs in West Africa “apocalyptic.”

Rep. Christopher Smith, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, opened the hearing by urging the speakers to clear the air on a “grave issue” that has “gripped” the mass media for weeks. “We hope to gain a realistic understanding of what we’re up against while avoiding sensationalism,” he told the floor. Here are the takeaways:

The outbreak is getting worse.

Already an unprecedented outbreak, CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden says the number of infected and killed by Ebola will likely soon outnumber all other Ebola outbreaks in the past 32 years combined. According to the CDC, there have already been more than 1,700 suspected and confirmed cases of Ebola in West Africa, and more than 900 deaths—numbers which Frieden later called “too foggy” to be definitive. Ken Isaacs, the Vice President of Program and Government Relations for Samaritan’s Purse (SIM), painted an even bleaker picture. According to SIM, West Africa has counted 1,711 diagnoses and 932 deaths, already, which could represent only a small fraction of the actual number. “We believe that these numbers represent just 25-50 percent of what is happening,” said Isaacs.

The atmosphere in West Africa is “apocalyptic.”

In a six-hour meeting with the president of Liberia last week, Isaacs said SIM workers watched as the “somber” officials explained the gravity of the situation in their countries, where hundreds lie dead in the streets. “It has an atmosphere of apocalypse,” Isaacs said of the Liberia Ministry of Health’s status updates. “Bodies lying in the street … gangs threatening to burn down hospitals. I believe this disease has the potential to be a national security risk for many nations. Our response has been a failure.” Isaacs says that the epidemic is inciting panic worldwide that, in his opinion, may soon be warranted. “We have to fight it now here or we’re going to have to fight it somewhere else.”

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http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/07/ebola-experts-describe-atmosphere-in-west-africa-as-apocalyptic.html

[DocwillCuNow]

1. I read this.... and at first glance it would seem that there are ways and means of strengthening

oneself against many illness viral, possibly including this one. There is nothing for sale here, there is only input from several medical doctors who have done the seemingly impossible. Again, release the hounds.

On Edit to ADD: There are some products for sale on the r.h. side of the page, please focus your attention on the left hand side of the page.

http://drsircus.com/medicine/ebola-saving-lives-natural-allopathic-medicine

[Glassunion]

2. We are close to a solution.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/experts-ebola-vaccine-at-least-50-white-people-awa,36580/

[Louisiana1976]

3. The situation in West Africa is sad. I'm afraid that if we're not careful the Ebola will spread

to more countries.

[Marrah_G]

4. For those who want to help, please support Doctors without Borders (MFS)

https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/onetime.cfm

They do amazing and vital work for the human race and 86.3% of donations goes directly to the services they provide.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. +1

[woodsprite]

5. We have friends at work who just came back from a 3 wk stay in India.

They said they caught something over there, flew back to the US and are staying in their home until their doctor can see them. Probably way over cautious, but they said they were at a large family gathering and couldn't guarantee who they came in contact with or where the other people had been.

I'm OK with how cautious they're being (sounds like a bad stomach bug/fever thing). They work for hubby, and he's fine with that as well.

[Fred Sanders]

7. Delhi Belly, kind of has the same symptoms.

[Fred Sanders]

6. One expert is not "experts". And one expert misusing words is not very convincing.

"Hundreds lay dead in the streets?" Really?

Show me the beef.

[LiberalAndProud]

9. Perhaps a timely alarm is in order.

Isaacs is not the only expert cited. Tom Frieden doesn't strike me as prone to exaggeration, and he's clearly concerned.

[Fred Sanders]

10. One expert only is clearly cited in creation of the headline, which claims "experts". Plural.

[LiberalAndProud]

11. I see. You're taking issue with the headline.

You read it. It worked.

[Igel]

12. Caution, sure. Take prudent measures to contain and eradicate, sure.

But this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbole

[Zorra]

13. Nonsense. Keep shopping. Nothing to see here. nt