Ebola crisis in West Africa

[Gail]

Talked to Kevin today about the situation... He thinks that it will go on for a long time. A big problem is that the Liberian mindset just doesn't trust the medical world, period. I asked about the survivors of Ebola being enlisted to help out and he said that there is no way he would want to be treated medically by a Liberian. He says their worldview is just so different from ours here in the West.

He is supposed to go to Burkina Faso soon for meetings but since that country is right next to Guinea he thinks the meetings will be cancelled due to Ebola.

The American doctor who has just been returned to the States after catching the disease, Rick Sacra, was the one who sewed Kevin's ear back up after he nearly lost it in a surfing accident in Robertsport. And he was the one that Eric worked with when he volunteered in Liberia at a medical clinic. Apparently Dr. Sacra was just delivering babies and not treating Ebola patients.

It just keeps getting scarier, doesn't it? Dr. Brantly didn't know how he got the disease, either, since he was taking precautions against coming in contact with it.

[Gail]

As the death toll rises past 2,100, the reports are now saying what the health care workers have been saying for weeks, that the crisis is beyond the capability for aid to handle.

 

The new way of transmission of Ebola in Liberia? Taxis! Whole families are being driven around from clinic to clinic trying to find help for their sick ones. As soon as a new facility is set up, it is inondated with patients seeking help for Ebola.

 

It is sad enough reading about the suffering. I can only imagine what the medical workers are going through, being only able to help a few in the sea of sorrow.

[Gail]

ADRA heads in with medical equipment to Sierra Leone and to Liberia:

 

ADRA, partnering organizations sending medical supplies to West Africa

Cooper Adventist Hospital is located in Monrovia, Liberia. More Adventist Church organization's are partnering to send needed supplies to administrators and staff as the region grapples with a massive Ebola outbreak. [file photo by Becky Carlton Dice]

Agency offering support to deal with Ebola outbreak

September 08, 2014 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | ADRA staff

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency is partnering with other Adventist organizations to provide needed medical supplies in West Africa as the region grapples with an ongoing Ebola outbreak.

In a release today, ADRA announced it is partnering with GlobalMedic to airlift $50,000 worth of supplies to Waterloo Adventist Hospital located in Freetown, Sierra Leone. ADRA is also partnering with Loma Linda University, Adventist Health International and Adventist Health Ministries to provide $92,000 worth of equipment and supplies to Cooper Adventist Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia.

More supplies will also be offered to the Liberian Ministry of Health, the release stated.

The supplies include personal protective equipment such as vinyl gloves, facemasks, isolation gowns and isolation shelter systems.

“As we continue to respond to the Ebola outbreak, our goal is to fight the spread of the disease,” said Jonathan Duffy, president of ADRA International. “We want to protect the workers, improve the care they can provide, and educate the community. It’s critical for us to support our facilities in West Africa.”

Several weeks ago, ADRA implemented an initial $22,000 response that provided protective gear including gloves, goggles, and gowns. ADRA also purchased and delivered disinfectants such as alcohol, chlorine, bleach and other sanitizers for use by the hospital staff.

In Sierra Leone, ADRA is providing psychological counseling and support to victims and families, training to capacitate staff and volunteers, and spreading community awareness and sensitization messages in public markets, churches and bus stations.

The outbreak across five West African countries has killed more than 2,100 people this year, according to the World Health Organization. The WHO last month declared the outbreak Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The affected countries are Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nigeria and Senegal.

[phkrause]

My SIL and family were missionaries for 5-6 years in Sierra Leone back in the 80s.

[phkrause]

ADRA Teams Up With 4 Adventist Groups in Ebola Outbreak The relief agency is working with GlobalMedic, Loma Linda University, Adventist Health International and Adventist Health Ministries.

http://www.adventistreview.org/church-news/adra-teams-up-with-4-adventist-groups-in-ebola-outbreak

[Gail]

This is scary!

 

http://www.wired.com/2014/09/r0-ebola/

[Gail]

Today I am reading about aid being offered from Obama, Canada and Microsoft VIPs. This is most encouraging news!

[LifeHiscost]

Today I am reading about aid being offered from Obama, Canada and Microsoft VIPs. This is most encouraging news!

Watching secular world news today it was broadcast that 2,500 people have died of the disease to date.

 

...so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place...Matt 24:33-34

 

God is Love! Jesus saves!

[Gail]

Latest update from James Moore, Seren's main staff member in Liberia:

 

 

Note from James L.A.C.E.S. Liberia National Director 

He shares about why buckets and clorox are so important right now. 

We are doing everything to ensure that Ebola does not take over in the four communities L.A.C.E.S. serves, especially in the small town of Klay. Recently health workers in Bomi County (where Klay is located) went on strike due to Government’s failure to provide proper protection for them to care for the sick. As a result, the isolation unit has been abandoned by health workers and sick patients are beginning to leave the isolation centers. The situation has sent panic throughout the county and the people of Klay are of no exception. That is why they appreciate the buckets and clorox that you gave them so much.

Thanks to you we are not only telling communities to wash their hands with disinfectants, but we are now able to provide the buckets and clorox to protect them. These are truly difficult times for our families – most families did not have something as simple as a bucket. 

Wow!!! Together we are now keeping the people of Liberia safe from Ebola. Not just the children but their entire families are protected from Ebola. Great thanks and appreciation for your support.

In this together,

James Moore

[phkrause]

Gail, thanks for keeping us updated

[Gail]

As the death toll now stands at 2,800 news reports are stating that the 3-day curfew and search in Sierra Leone was a success. Three hundred+ new cases were discovered and over 200 corpses found and most buried. Apparently the effort has educated many and the authorities are hoping that this will be the beginning of the end of the outbreak in this country.

I did donate to LACES with their bucket and bleach campaign. Seren's goal is to provide buckets and bottles of bleach to 500 Liberian families. I think she is nearly at her goal now.

[Gail]

Another hazard I read about today but didn't think of before is that of animals digging up the graves. My goodness, we who live in the West just can't conceive the danger that these Africans are facing.

And the reports are also saying that the numbers reported of cases and deaths due to Ebola are far underestimated. What a nightmare!

Could something like this happen here? One of the rules for health workers is not to touch, either patients (without the protective covering), family members or each other. Can you imagine living like that?

[phkrause]

Here's an interesting article:

 

http://www.ahiglobal.org/main/news/?title=ahi-doctor-heads-to-liberia-to-aid-ebola-crisis--james-appels-personal-log-of-daily-events/

[Gail]

Thanks for sharing that, pk. It is exhausting just reading it! The deception that the doctors have to work with is amazing. Liberia is supposed to be the second in the world for corruption.

On a positive note, Dr. Rick Sacra, the American who sewed up my son's ear, has recovered from his bout of Ebola.

[phkrause]

On a positive note, Dr. Rick Sacra, the American who sewed up my son's ear, has recovered from his bout of Ebola.

Some good news for once.

[Gail]

I just got some bloodwork done and on the front window there's a sign with instructions for travelers from west Africa. They are not supposed to go to the lab but head straight to the Emergency ward at the hospital.

I got to talk with 2 off the girls at the lab regarding Ebola and one of them told me that there is one confirmed case of Ebola two towns down from us. I am so glad there isn't a big deal in the media about it, but can't help but wonder how many other hospitals are dealing with infected travelers

[Gail]

Just now I read a report of the newest Ebola treatment Center in Monrovia. The 120 beds were filled within hours and staff stretched its capacity to 200 patients.

Also I saw where another person was put into isolation in Dallas with suspected Ebola.

The girl who I talked to this morning assured me that Westerners do not get the disease as seriously as native Africans, due to our stronger immune systems. I suppose that that is true but surely medical staff across the country have been instructed wih whatever propaganda is best for the questioning public.

One thing about this story- it moves so quickly that we will never get bored.

[Woody]

Praise God - I heard the Ebola crisis in Nigeria is pretty much over now.

[Gail]

Yes, and in Senegal, too! I think that Guinea is doing better than it was

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

1st case of ebola is now in the US... http://www.kgw.com/story/news/health/2014/09/30/cdc-first-us-ebola-confirmed-in-dallas-patient/16497797/

[aka]

What kind of naive ignorance is going on there at Dallas airport with allowing passengers from the pandemic countries to depart from the incoming plane and take a taxie home?  It should be expedient for a group of lab medics to rope off a corner of the incoming area, set up tables, set up microscopes and other needful testing equipment. Then each and every one from W.Africa pandemic countries goes first for blood testing. They are not to move until the okay-clear sounds from the staff. The incubation time does not completely disguise the presence of the virus.   

[aka]

Again, here is something I copied from my daily newsletter Natural News by Mike Adams:

 

Pandemic Prevention Advice

 

#1) Boost your immune system function with medicinal herbs and nutrients

 

All patients who have survived Ebola so far can credit their immune systems for saving their lives.

 

Anyone who is not actively taking steps right now to significantly boost their immune function with anti-viral herbs, natural medicines, superfoods and nutritional supplements is putting their own life at risk.

 

#2) Significantly enhance your local food supplies in anticipation of quarantines and food disruptions

 

One of the first things that happens in a medical quarantine is that food quickly becomes scarce.

There are three reasons for this:

 

1) The quarantine restricts movement of transport traffic into and out of the quarantine zone.

 

2) Drivers of transport vehicles refuse to make deliveries into the quarantine zone.

 

3) Citizens stuck inside the quarantine zone begin to stockpile all supplies in anticipation of supply shortages.

 

#3) Anticipate disruptions in everything: banking, emergency services, water, power and more

 

When any region is subjected to a medical quarantine, it means citizens in that region can't go to work. Those workers run the banks, police departments, water treatment facilities, power plants and so on.

 

When those workers stay home under a quarantine order, all those businesses and facilities they used to run suddenly cease to function. That's when the local ATMs stop working and basic infrastructure services (such as municipal water) are at risk of disruptions or shutdowns.

 

 

#4) Acquire basic medical protection and isolation gear, including plastic sheeting

 

When pandemic spreads, hospitals will be quickly overrun with patients. Most people seeking medical care will be sent home to die. Presently, 82% of infected patients in Africa are being turned away from hospitals and told to go home.

 

Do you have basic medical supplies at home to take care of yourself or an infected family member? Do you have isolation supplies to isolate one infected family member from other members of your family?

 

Expect many important supplies to be completely wiped out in the coming days and weeks. For example, at the time of this writing, you can purchase a pack of 25 Tyvek body suits with hoods at Amazon.com for just $134. That's a little over $5 a suit.

 

By the time you read this, however, all those suits will probably be sold out. You can click here to check if I'm right. In a pandemic outbreak in North America, these suits will likely be auctioned on eBay for $100 each (or more).

 

Those who prepare in advance can save a small fortune on the items everyone will suddenly want all at the same time. If you don't already have full-body isolation suits stocked and ready, you're already behind the preparedness curve.

 

Remember: BEFORE the outbreak, each of these suits could be purchased for less than a Starbucks coffee. But AFTER the outbreak spreads, you probably won't be able to find them at any price.

 

#5) Have a bug-out plan ready to go, and have the fuel and gear to follow your plan

 

If Ebola begins to spread in your local city, do you have a plan to evacuate before the quarantine occurs?

 

Medical quarantines should truthfully be called "death zones" because once they're put in place, no one is allowed to leave until they're either immune or dead... or until the viral transmission has completely halted (which usually only happens after everyone is either immune or dead).

 

The smart play is to get out of the high-density population centers and relocate to a rural area long before a quarantine order comes into play.

 

Quarantine orders happen without warning. That's on purpose because the government doesn't want people fleeing an "upcoming" quarantine area, thereby causing the virus to spread even farther. So by definition, all quarantines happen instantly, without warning. This simply means if you haven't bugged out beforehand, you will likely not be able to bug out at all.

 

#5) Get some extra cash in anticipation of financial and electronic commerce disruptions

 

If a medical quarantine is announced in your local area, it won't take long for local banks and cash machines to be out of order.

 

How will you acquire the cash to purchase all the supplies you'll desperately need in a quarantine? Food prices will instantly skyrocket, and anti-viral herbs and natural medicines will be almost priceless (if you can find them at all).

 

Cash will still be acceptable for commerce in nearly all areas, so having cash is your ticket to being able to acquire the items you need, many of which will be sold only at inflated, black market prices.

 

If a large percentage of the population decides they all need some cash all at once, expect bank holidays and closures to commence soon thereafter. Our banking system is so fragile that it can't handle a large number of depositors making cash withdrawals at the same time.

 

#6) Set aside a large, reliable, self-contained water source

 

You will need a large supply of backup water stored on site. The easiest solution is to buy a bathtub water bob and fill it to the max. This will give you 100 gallons or so -- a good start that might last you a few days.

 

This is exactly what I've been warning people about. The nature of all the supply lines for food, medicine and preparedness products is that everything will be almost instantly sold out the moment the masses figure out what's really happening.

 

Here's an actual quote from a Facebook user -- a person who reflects the kind of delusional denial that has been rampant across American society on many topics: "Just because the CDC said that Ebola infections could reach 1.4 million by the end of January, don't worry - you will be fine. Ebola will always be somewhere else - not here."

 

Such statements are, of course, delusional. And when it comes to a viral pandemic like Ebola, delusional means dead.

 

#7) Have a plan for household safety and defense against looters

 

If you wake up one morning and find yourself locked down in a medical quarantine zone, how exactly are you planning to protect your household from looters who are desperate for food, water and other supplies? Do you seriously think the government is going to have the manpower to guard your home and ensure your safety? Not a chance. Not even if they want to.

 

Sure, all your neighbors are likely to be very police and civil for the first 72 hours or so. But once the food starts to run out, the thin veneer of politeness quickly vanishes. When facing extreme hunger, there's almost nothing people won't do in order to survive, including looting your home and, if necessary, killing people in the process.

 

If you don't already have a plan to defend your own home against looters and intruders, now might be a really great time to put a plan in place, before things get any crazier. A pandemic outbreak will no doubt cause another run on guns and ammo just like happened after the December 2012 Sandy Hook shootings. (I still can't find 22LR!)

 

#8) Consider permanently moving away from high-density population centers

 

Bizarre viral pandemics and superbugs are sweeping across our planet right now. Human activity has caused wild imbalances in the natural ecosystems, and we should all expect to see wave after wave of pandemic diseases for decades to come.

 

In any pandemic, cities quickly become death traps due to the high population density found there. Rural areas are inherently safer from infectious disease precisely because they have far lower population densities (and therefore fewer opportunities for disease to spread among humans).

 

If you still live in the city but you've always considered getting out into the country, right now might be a great time to take a fresh look at those plans and start taking action. You still have time to make the move. Even "successful" viral pandemics require many months to spread across large populations. Ebola may take 1-2 years to really start spreading in U.S. cities... or it may never spread in America at all if they can keep it contained.

 

Sooner or later, a viral pandemic that cannot be controlled will sweep through the world population. When that day comes -- and it may have just started on Sep. 30, 2014 with "patient zero" in Dallas -- you would be wise to be living far away from population centers.

 

#9) Plan to have no medical assistance from hospitals or doctors

 

During a pandemic outbreak, you can expect to have no medical help whatsoever from hospitals or doctors. Many doctors and hospital staff will rapidly become infected, and many will die. Others will be far too preoccupied with other patients to take on any more.

 

Expect all hospital beds to be quickly filled, after which patients will be directed to go home and deal with the infections themselves. (This has already happened in Liberia and Sierra Leone.)

 

Dialing 911 will be useless, and emergency transportation vehicles such as ambulances will of course be thoroughly contaminated with the Ebola virus.

 

This might be a good idea to bone up on your self-reliance skills as taught in an online summit beginning today.

 

#10) Understand that medications, junk food and toxic chemicals make you more vulnerable to infections

 

Here's something the mainstream media almost never talks about: medications deplete your body of immune-boosting nutrients, making you even more susceptible to viral infections.

 

I have written extensively about this exact point in an article entitled Over-medicated, immunosuppressed Americans likely to suffer high fatality rate if Ebola sweeps across USA -- published on September 22, 2014.

 

In that article, I explain how the mass medication of Americans has made the USA uniquely vulnerable to an Ebola wipeout. It is my opinion that those Americans who wish to survive Ebola need to work with qualified naturopathic physicians to get off their meds as quickly as possible and transition to a health-enhancing lifestyle that boosts immune function and bolsters your defenses against infections.

 

Remember: Every single person who has so far survived Ebola has been saved by their own immune system. Your immune system can also save your life, too -- but only if you support it and stop suppressing it.

 

Visit www.BioDefense.com

 

During a quarantine, essential public services like water delivery and trash pickup also get neglected. This means that sanitation takes a backseat to the emergency at hand, further compounding the situation. If the people being quarantined aren't dying from Ebola, in other words, they could still end up dying from a lack of clean water or from the filth and infestation from trash pileups.

[Gail]

One of my colleagues mentioned keeping an isolation area in Liberia for travelers heading out, so that one won't board without an okay from it.

[Gail]

This is what you really DON'T want to happen with imported Ebola. Note what the caregivers at the hospital told him to do:

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/02/us-health-ebola-usa-idUSKCN0HP2F720141002

[Gail]

How can that happen? As I reported earlier, a few days ago I had blood testing done and right beside the front door to this lab there is a sign warning people that if they have been in West Africa and are ill to go directly to hospital. It seems like medical people are at least informed. Even if a person comes back with malaria it should not be assumed that it is malaria or the flu.

 

I foresee more of the same happening as travelers in Liberia are exposed and travel back home not saying anything for fear of not getting proper medical treatment in Africa.