"Houston we have a problem" This just got very real

[Esme12]

And so it begins....

A health care worker who treated Thomas Eric Duncan, the first person in the U.S. diagnosed with Ebola who later died, has preliminarily tested positive for the deadly virus, the Texas Department of State Health Services said in a statement today.

The health care worker at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital has been isolated since reporting a low-grade fever Friday, the department said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will conduct further testing to confirm the diagnosis.

"We knew a second case could be a reality, and we've been preparing for this possibility," Dr. David Lakey, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services said in the statement. "We are broadening our team in Dallas and working with extreme diligence to prevent further spread."

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/texas-health-care-worker-tests-positive-ebola/story?id=26135108

[1KoolRN]

Ok. Retraction: Woman who caused Ebola scare at Pentagon admits she made up story about traveling to West Africa | Fox News

It was a hoax. GEEZ LOUISE!!!! The crazies have found a new way to terrorize us.

And not for the first time- there was at least one passenger removed from an airplane for joking about Ebola previously.

Thought y'all would get a kick out of this...

[1KoolRN]

I'm thinking that basic hand washing with soap and warm water isn't cutting it....has their been any studies into how much, if any, of the virus is eliminated after 'proper hand hygiene'? Seems like there needs to be a stronger chemical involved than the soap used in hospitals...

Lysol spray kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria when used as directed I wonder is Ebola that .1%

My Microbiology instructor taught us that Bleach would kill it best in a 1-10 to 1-12 ratio with water.

Too weak, and the bug would be surrounded, but the mixture wouldn't kill it, too strong, and the bug wouldn't be floated up enough to have the solution surround it and it would still be viable/contagious, underneath.

Based on what I am learning in microbiology, that 1% has to be A TON of viruses, or they are full of crap.

So, I just read that they've been using chlorine for disinfecting... Not sure how I didn't know that already, but good to know now, ha!

Operation Blessing International

One of the top needs in the Ebola response? Chlorine. The non-profit sent five chlorine generators to Liberia for hand washing and to disinfect surfaces, producing about 440 gallons of chlorine a day, said Bill Horan, president of Operation Blessing.

"Soap and water is better than nothing, but chlorine and water is what will kill the virus and stop the spread of Ebola," Horan said. Operation Blessing staff and volunteers are distributing chlorine to the Liberian government and directly to residents, he said.

The non-profit is shipping another generator later this month, this one with the capability of producing 640 gallons of chlorine a day, Horan said.

Ebola: #FactsNotFear

[chadrn65]

If this vaccine is effective in animals, praying it will be effective for humans.

BBC News - Canada to ship Ebola vaccine to WHO

[h=1]Canada to ship Ebola vaccine to WHO[/h]Canada is to ship 800 vials of its Ebola vaccine to the World Health Organization.

The jab can completely protect animals from a fatal dose of the Ebola virus. However, its safety and effectiveness in humans is unknown. Trials began in the US this week and there will be further tests in Europe and Africa. The Public Health Agency of Canada said the vaccine could be an "important tool in curbing the outbreak".

The recent Ebola outbreak - the largest in history - has killed more than 4,500 people in West Africa. By December, up to 10,000 people a week could be being infected by the virus, the WHO says. There is no cure or proven vaccine, but a number of experimental approaches are being rushed through.

The Canadian vaccine, developed by the public health agency of Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory, combines fragments of Ebola virus with a non-fatal virus. It should be enough to trigger the immune system to produce antibodies to attack Ebola, protecting against future infection.

'Ethical issues'

Clinical trials have started at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in the US but results are not expected until December.

Canada will begin shipping the 800 vials on Monday. They will be sent in three batches as a precautionary measure. The vaccine must be packed in dry ice and kept at -80C in order to remain viable. Further trials will take place in Germany, Switzerland and countries in Africa not hit by the Ebola outbreak.

Dr Gregory Taylor, the chief public health officer of Canada, said: "This vaccine, the product of many years of scientific research and innovation, could be an important tool in curbing the outbreak. We will continue to work closely with the WHO to address some of the ethical and logistical issues around using this experimental vaccine in the fight against Ebola."

Around a third of the total stocks of the vaccine will be kept in Canada for research or "compassionate use", the Canadian government said. A separate vaccine is already being trialled in the US, UK and Mali.

[sissiesmama, ASN, RN]

And not for the first time- there was at least one passenger removed from an airplane for joking about Ebola previously.

Oh yeah - I can't even understand why someone would try that one - it's like saying "bomb" on the plane. Sigh...

Anne