WHO warns Ebola may be in West Africa to stay

Farrar and Piot also warned that here was "a very real danger of a complete breakdown in civic society."

In the WHO paper, researchers presented their first, full statistical snapshot of the epidemic, which gained a foothold in December of last year and has fallen hardest on Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The majority of patients stricken by Ebola are 15 to 44 years old, with men and women suffering at a nearly equal rates, according to researchers. The case fatality rate -- based on confirmed cases only -- is 70.8%, with a slightly lower chance of death -- 64.3% -- for those admitted to a hospital.

Although the epidemic has already killed more people than all previous outbreaks combined, researchers said the virus now wreaking havoc on some of the world’s poorest nations is no more lethal or virulent than other strains.

Instead, its rapid spread is due to "insufficient" control efforts, and a "large intermixing" population that has transported the virus across borders and between rural and urban areas.

In order to stop the epidemic, researchers say the rate of transmission would have to be cut in half. This would be equivalent to vaccinating 50% of the population.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Farrar and Piot also warned that here was "a very real danger of a complete breakdown in civic society."

In the WHO paper, researchers presented their first, full statistical snapshot of the epidemic, which gained a foothold in December of last year and has fallen hardest on Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The majority of patients stricken by Ebola are 15 to 44 years old, with men and women suffering at a nearly equal rates, according to researchers. The case fatality rate -- based on confirmed cases only -- is 70.8%, with a slightly lower chance of death -- 64.3% -- for those admitted to a hospital.

Although the epidemic has already killed more people than all previous outbreaks combined, researchers said the virus now wreaking havoc on some of the world’s poorest nations is no more lethal or virulent than other strains.

Instead, its rapid spread is due to "insufficient" control efforts, and a "large intermixing" population that has transported the virus across borders and between rural and urban areas.

In order to stop the epidemic, researchers say the rate of transmission would have to be cut in half. This would be equivalent to vaccinating 50% of the population.

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-ebola-may-be-endemic-in-people-20140922-story.html

This could be stopped, but nobody will commit the resources to stop it.

victorisnotamused wrote:and most of em have had 40-50 years to get their "post colonial" life together...but will they...nope they would sooner do tribal warfare...tough.....