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Ebola

Ebola466 posts

Ebola is a disease caused by an ebolavirus. Symptoms start two days to three weeks after contracting the virus, with a fever, sore throat, muscle pain and headaches. Vomiting, diarrhea and rash follow, along with decreased function of the liver and kidneys. Victims bleed both within the body and externally. From 1976 through 2013, the World Health Organization reported a total of 1,716 cases. In 2013 an outbreak started in Guinea, spreading to neighboring African countries and infectied doctors, some of who were transported back to the US for treatment. The virus continues to claim victims as it spreads to more countries.

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6 Dec, 2013

Patient Zero dies

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guinea-chart-bigPatient Zero, a two-year-old boy dies a few days after falling ill in a village in Guéckédou, a village in southeastern Guinea that borders Sierra Leone and Liberia. A week later, the virus kils the boy’s mother, then his three-year-old sister, then his grandmother. All have symptoms of the virus, including fever, vomiting and diarrhea, but at the time, no one knew what had made them ill. Two mourners at the grandmother’s funeral take the virus home to their village. A health worker carries it to another village, where he dies, as does his doctor. They both infect relatives from other towns.  WHO releases the chart of infection in August 2014.

29 Jul, 2014

Umar Khan dies of Ebola

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Khan dies after contracting Ebola. Chief medical officer Dr Brima Kargbo:

It is a big and irreparable loss to Sierra Leone as he was the only specialist the country had in viral haemorrhagic fevers.

Doctors without Borders:

His work and dedication have been greatly appreciated by the medical community in Sierra Leone for many years. He will be remembered and missed by many, especially by the doctors and nurses that worked with him. MSF’s sincere thoughts and condolences are with Dr. Khan’s family, friends and colleagues.

4 Aug, 2014

Antibodies from survivors

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Researchers consider using blood transfusions from Ebola survivors to pass antibodies into infected people, as no vaccines or drugs are approved yet. Dr. Peter Piot, director of London’s School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and co-discoverer of the virus:

This is something that’s fairly simple to do

WHO’s network of international blood regulators says there are thousands of survivors from past Ebola outbreaks in Africa. It says it has identified several patients as possible donors and the first batch of blood from survivors could be available later in the year, but adds:

[The] logistics of blood collection are an issue

Blood from donors must also be screened for other illnesses such as HIV and malaria before it can be used.

10 Sep, 2014

British man dies in Macedonia

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The Foreign Office is investigating reports that a 57-year-old British man has died and a second man, aged 72, is ill in Skopje. Macedonian officials say the the patients had been staying at a hotel when they fell ill. The now-deceased man was admitted to the Clinic for Infectious Diseases around 3 p.m. (9 a.m. Eastern) and died around two hours later. His friend remains under observation at the hospital and medical staff are attempting to confirm whether they were infected with Ebola.

8 Oct, 2014

Thomas Eric Duncan dies of Ebola

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Duncan is pronounced dead at 7:51 a.m. at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, where he was admitted Sept. 28 and has been kept in isolation. Texas officials are monitoring 10 people who had direct contact with him while he was symptomatic, as well as 38 others who may have had contact. None have shown symptoms of the disease to this point. They will be monitored for 21 days, the normal incubation period for the disease. Hospital:

Mr. Duncan succumbed to an insidious disease, Ebola. He fought courageously in this battle. Our professionals, the doctors and nurses in the unit, as well as the entire Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas community, are also grieving his passing. We have offered the family our support and condolences at this difficult time.

10 Oct, 2014

Warns against traditional remedies

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The UN body says practices like rubbing a patient’s body with limes and onions or drinking saltwater are ineffective against the virus, and warns against fake vaccines and cures.

Decades of scientific research have failed to find a curative or preventive agent of proven safety and effectiveness in humans, though a number of promising products are currently under development. All rumours of any other effective products or practices are false. Their use can be dangerous. In Nigeria, for example, at least two people have died after drinking salt water, rumoured to be protective.

26 Oct, 2014

Toddler dies in Mali

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Two-year-old Fanta Kone dies after contracting the virus. Her grandmother traveled more than 600 miles from back to Mali from southern Guinea after her father died of the virus there. WHO:

The child’s symptomatic state during the bus journey is especially concerning, as it presented multiple opportunities for exposures – including high-risk exposures – involving many people.

17 Nov, 2014

Martin Salia dies from Ebola

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Salia dies at Nebraska Medical Center while being treated for Ebola. Dr. Phil Smith, medical director of the hospital’s biocontainment unit:

It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share this news. Dr. Salia was extremely critical when he arrived here, and unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we weren’t able to save him.

18 Dec, 2014

11th Sierra Leone doctor dies

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Dr. Victor Willoughby, 67, who tested positive for Ebola on Saturday, dies from the virus hours after an experimental drug arrived in the country for him. Dr. Brima Kargbo, the country’s chief medical officer:

Dr. Victor Willoughby was a mentor to us physicians and a big loss to the medical profession. He has always been available to help junior colleagues.