# Canada investigating possible outbreak of Ebola?



## a_majoor (25 Mar 2014)

A true WTF moment:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/24/health/canada-possible-ebola-case/index.html



> Canada probes possible Ebola case
> By Dana Ford, CNN
> updated 10:42 PM EDT, Mon March 24, 2014
> 
> ...



This is the sort of thing that was reported in Richard Preston's book "The Hot Zone", and fictionalized in the movie "Outbreak". Canada has been victimized before, the SARS virus was also imported by aircraft from China in 2003, and created a much larger problem. Mark Steyn wrote a piece about how SAR almost overwhelmed our healthcare system "The System Infected Us", and I doubt the situation would be much better should another contagious disease spread to Canada.


----------



## Robert0288 (25 Mar 2014)

Adding to the fact that the ebola outbreak that's currently hitting Guinea is looking more and more like Zaire strain that currently has about a 59%-74% mortality rate, but has in the past hit upward of 90%.

This thing is something out of my nightmares.


----------



## Robert0288 (25 Mar 2014)

> *Sick man in Saskatoon tests negative for Ebola*
> http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sick-man-in-saskatoon-tests-negative-for-ebola-1.2585293
> 
> A man in hospital in Saskatchewan has tested negative for Ebola and other hemorrhagic fevers, a World Health Organization spokesman says.
> ...



Thank god for malaria eh?


----------



## Remius (25 Mar 2014)

Robert0288 said:
			
		

> Adding to the fact that the ebola outbreak that's currently hitting Guinea is looking more and more like Zaire strain that currently has about a 59%-74% mortality rate, but has in the past hit upward of 90%.
> 
> This thing is something out of my nightmares.



The good thing (if it can be called that) is that it infects and kills so rapidly that it is harder for it to spread.


----------



## Robert0288 (25 Mar 2014)

Yeah, the last thing the world needs is for this stupid thing to swap some DNA bits with H1N1 or some other thing which is much more adept at spreading.


----------



## Nemo888 (25 Mar 2014)

There are some vaccines kicking around already, but since it infects most primates the eventual solution is vaccinating wild animals similar to how we now air drop vaccines for rabies. Organ liquefaction is something I never want to see from an infectious disease.

http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/ebolamarburg/Pages/rabiesVaccEbola.aspx


----------



## medicineman (25 Mar 2014)

Probably has falciparum malaria...nasty stuff all the same.  I wouldn't thank God for it - black water fever is something I'd reserve for people I really don't like much.

MM


----------



## mariomike (25 Mar 2014)

Thucydides said:
			
		

> Canada has been victimized before, the SARS virus was also imported by aircraft from China in 2003, and created a much larger problem. Mark Steyn wrote a piece about how SAR almost overwhelmed our healthcare system "The System Infected Us", and I doubt the situation would be much better should another contagious disease spread to Canada.



I was put on quarantine during SARS, continuously wearing an N95 mask and taking my temperature twice a day. I did not get sick.

The situation soon became so serious that the department put us on "Working Quarantine". IE: We remained on-duty ( in full isolation PPE ), and were paid double-time and a half for the duration. 

Four Toronto Paramedics were admitted to ICU. They survived and eventually returned to modified-duty. But, were never again fit to return to Operations. 

Although I was ( thankfully ) not involved, I also remember the Lassa Fever working quarantine in 1976. That time, only two of our crews were affected, and none got sick. 

During SARS,  Mayor Mel Lastman did an interview on CNN. When he was asked what the World Health Organization was doing about the crisis, he replied "They don't know what they're talking about. I don't know who 

this group is. I've never heard of them before."  

Seems funnier in hindsight than it did back then.


----------



## Robert0288 (26 Mar 2014)

From the WHO DON (Disease Outbreak News)
Summary: 
*
Ebola haemorrhagic fever in Guinea – update*
24 March 2014 - The Ministry of Health (MoH) of Guinea has notified WHO of a rapidly evolving outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic fever in forested areas of south-eastern Guinea. As of 24 March 2014, a total of 86 cases including 59 deaths (case fatality ratio: 68.5%) had been reported.

Full report: http://www.afro.who.int/en/clusters-a-programmes/dpc/epidemic-a-pandemic-alert-and-response/outbreak-news/4064-ebola-hemorrhagic-fever-in-guinea-24-march-2014.html


----------



## PMedMoe (26 Mar 2014)

According to this article, it's not Ebola.


----------

