Ebola outbreak no joke

link Robert Arrowsmith

Publisher

It is time to

become aware.

It is not time to panic.

It is time to stop joking about it.

Ebola is in the United States. From the stories you read and hear on the news, the hospital in Dallas did not do the best job of handling the situation. As of Wednesday, two nurses are now infected with it, and one of them flew from Ohio to Texas.

Become aware of what Ebola symptoms are.

According to the World Health Organization, the incubation period or the time interval from infection with the virus to onset of symptoms is two-to-21 days.

Humans are not infectious until they develop symptoms. The first symptoms are the sudden onset of fever fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from the gums, blood in the stools).

Laboratory findings include low white blood cell and platelet counts and elevated liver enzymes.

Three cases have now come out of the hospital in Dallas. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings is not fearful at this point. “The anxiety level goes up a level … it may get worse before it gets better, but it will get better.”

For prevention and control purposes, the World Health Organization states that good outbreak control relies on applying a package of interventions, namely case management, surveillance and contact tracing, a good laboratory service ... Community engagement is key to successfully controlling outbreaks.

Raising awareness of risk factors for Ebola infection and protective measures that individuals can take is an effective way to reduce human transmission.

It is time to stop joking about it.

I have heard reference to Ebola in jokes at offices, in restaurants, and around Las Vegas (Nevada) in casual conversation trying to make the issue humorous. Because there is no known cure for the disease yet, and the mortality rate is around 50 percent in humans, it truly is something that has to be paid attention to early on, and is time to be taken seriously when heard in conversation.

Again, it is not time to panic, but it is time to pay attention here, and it is time to quit joking about it.

I am not suggesting Ebola is here, or is going to get here. However, it is now in the country, and it does spread. I am not trying to create a panic, but it is time to become aware of what is going on.

Community involvement is key. Understand the symptoms. As a tight knit community, be ready to talk about it.

Robert Arrowsmith is publisher of Clovis Media Inc. Contact him at:

rarrowsmith

@cnjonline.com