Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by martyb on Saturday November 10 2018, @04:08PM   Printer-friendly
from the shtf-scenario-4a dept.

The Washington Post is reporting that the Center for Disease Control's director is warning that the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ebola outbreak may not be containable. The ongoing conflicts in the region might ensure that the disease becomes entrenched instead of coming under control. If it becomes endemic to the province then it will become impossible to trace contacts, stop transmission chains, and contain the outbreak. Apparently 60% to 80% of the newly-confirmed cases have no known epidemiological link to prior cases, indicating loss of control and fewer options for prevention or treatment. High level political attention is becoming needed at this point for there to be a solution.


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 10 2018, @05:36PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 10 2018, @05:36PM (#760408)

    It's a bit like a forest fire. It's not generally possible to put the entire thing out, so firefighters focus on containing it so that it runs out of fuel and eventually goes out on its own. We can do that because the forest itself is something that can be reforested and forest fires get to be massive relatively quickly. Contrast that to how we handled buildings that are on fire. Most of the time, the firefighters try to put it out as soon as it can safely be done. Occasionally, the might let the thing just burn down and contain it, but frequently, they can extinguish it.

    Trying to put the disease down, would require more or less roaming bands of death squads murdering everybody that's either contracted it or been exposed to it. Yes, it would probably be effective, so long as proper procedures are followed for decontaminating the death squads and disposing of the remains, but few people would suggest that this is an acceptable means of dealing with people.

  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by black6host on Saturday November 10 2018, @09:44PM

    by black6host (3827) on Saturday November 10 2018, @09:44PM (#760495) Journal

    If the groups involved in the conflict decide that killing everyone on sight is better than spreading Ebola through their midst you just might get your roaming death squads. I doubt they're prepared to deal with this outbreak in a medically sound way. This may all lead to increased violence and death. It's a sad situation and I'm glad I don't live there. I feel for those who do.