One or possibly two cases of Ebola have been identified in Dallas, Texas, USA after an individual acquired it on a trip to Liberia in West Africa. First, here are pertinent facts related to the case. Remember, Ebola is contagious only if the infected individual is experiencing active symptoms.
- The patient did not have symptoms when leaving Liberia but developed symptoms approximately four days after arriving in the U.S. on Sept. 20. This means those on the plane with the patient are not considered at risk for contracting the disease. As such the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend those individuals undergo monitoring.
- The person fell ill on Sept. 24 and sought medical care at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas on Sept. 26. After developing symptoms consistent with Ebola, he was admitted to hospital on Sept. 28 where treatment continues.
- On October 1st, local health care authorities suggested an additional contact of the first patient is developing symptoms likely to be confirmed as Ebola.
Upon learning of the case, I had three immediate thoughts, none of which likely align with your first thoughts.
- Citizens have no clue how many deadly pathogens reside in hospitals all day every day.
- The presence of Ebola on U.S. soil likely marks the beginning of the end of Ebola. Once the U.S. public health and medical apparatuses get mobilized, this will be effectively addressed – not only in the U.S. but around the world. That likely was already the case once President Obama initiated numerous healthcare initiatives based on identifying Ebola as a national security threat.
- I wonder if folks realize just how many conditions they personally are currently walking around with that not only are diagnosed in 1-2 people in a few days but kill more than 1-2 individuals every day. In other words, there are a lot more dangerous diseases right in front of us than Ebola.
It is actually encouraging that the public is showing an ongoing interest in the story of Ebola. It’s not so much a good thing that the interest is being driven by fear. Let’s address the above thoughts one at a time.
- When I was a medical student, I recall the notion that older patients would often mention: “I don’t go to hospitals; that’s where the diseases are.” There’s a measure of truth to that statement. Newborn babies, the elderly and those with reduced immune systems should be selective visitors to hospitals. Hospital acquired infections are a very real concern. That’s not a comment about contracting Ebola – it’s an observation that there are many diseases about which we should be concerned, and we would do well to learn basic preventive measures that would prevent many diseases.
- The reality of the identified case is it has been identified. Basically once it’s been identified, it is going to be contained. Anyone that is going to be infected has likely already been infected, and this group is going be limited to family members and individuals that have had close contact with the source patient.
- One or two cases does not make an epidemic, no matter how much media attention is being given. There are real epidemics before our eyes. Obesity. Cigarette smoking. Preventable cancers. Hypertension. Trauma. Diabetes. Asthma and COPD. There are literally dozens more. Take inventory of your health and your risk factors, and divert some of your curiosity to those health concerns that will more likely impact you and your loved ones.
I do not take lightly the reality that there has been a public health failure in allowing the return of what simply had to be an infected (and thus identifiable) individual back into the U.S. from a region in the midst of an actual epidemic. That part of the story does bear exploration and explanation. We certainly wish the best for those affected by this tragedy.
Finally: regarding Ebola, it has only now joined hundreds of other diseases that can kill us if we are exposed to it and don’t get proper evaluation and treatment. Placing this in perspective may calm your concerns; maybe not. I would advice those of you with ongoing concerns to relearn the risks, symptoms and additional considerations previously discussed on Straight, No Chaser and elsewhere. Here are links to previous posts on the topic.
Straight, No Chaser In The News: Ebola Virus – Likely Not Coming Soon To a City Near You
Straight, No Chaser: Ebola Virus
Straight, No Chaser In The News: The Latest on the Ebola Virus Story (August 8th, 2014)
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