Ebola Patient Being Treated At Northampton General

[ChillDoubt]

Just breaking on BBC, female patient aged 39, NFD at the moment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-30825231

[boxtops]

If it is, she'll be transferred to the Royal Free a.s.a.p.

[janbee]

I hadn't heard about that. I wish her well.

[ummmm]

Northants Chronicle and Echo have reported that ebola is very unlikely.

[anotheoldgit]

When are they going to wise up and introduce compulsory quarantine measures?

[jim360]

Since the case is being reported as "probably not Ebola", compulsory quarantine remains unjustified.

[anneasquith]

wrong...........................suspected ebola patient.

[anotheoldgit]

jim360

/// Since the case is being reported as "probably not Ebola", compulsory quarantine remains unjustified. ///

Yes "probably" but not definitely sure, always better to steer on the side of caution, especially when playing about with such a deadly disease.

[ummmm]

I live very close to N'pton general.

[Baldric]

They do seem to be popping up quite often atm.
Are our Port / Airport systems robust enough do you think?

[jim360]

How do you figure that, Baldric? So far there has been exactly one confirmed case in the UK during the entire outbreak. The remaining suspected cases, all but one of which have since gone on to be not Ebola after all, represent nothing more than the people who would have got in in Africa anyway, but ought to be tested for Ebola for safety's sake. It's not "often" at all, by any measure.

[Baldric]

Suspected cases cause as much public concern as confirmed cases until they are given the all clear, without going back through the News I can't quote you exact figures, but there's been a few now. I do realise they may not fit your tick boxes, but they are out there and people are concerned.

[Sqad]

I hope she proves negative.

The good news is that there has been no recorded cases in contacts with the nurse ( I have forgotten her name)

[jim360]

What I'm saying is that the suspected cases represent essentially the standard background that is only causing concern because suddenly they get reported on. It's not that more people are coming back from Africa while sick, but that we suddenly care -- which is understandable, given the context of possible Ebola, but not actually out of the ordinary.

[anotheoldgit]

jim360

/// What I'm saying is that the suspected cases represent essentially the standard background that is only causing concern because suddenly they get reported on. ///

Oh so you would rather these things not to be reported on then?

That is until it is too late and we have a real problem.

[jim360]

Since mostly they end up negative, not reporting on it until a case has been confirmed might be a good idea actually. It's not like the treatment course is based on how many newspapers are aware of the case...

I can understand the media wanting to pick up on these, but mostly it just seems to be creating unnecessary panic/ tension.

[anotheoldgit]

Well argued Jim.

[jim360]

I genuinely have no idea if you're being serious or not.

[youngmafbog]

I agree with you jim, given the seriousness of this disease then until a suspected case is proven it would be best to keep quiet and avoid panic.

[ummmm]

And people are panicking. My facebook feed was full of it this morning. I even got a phone call from Ireland!

[anotheoldgit]

jim360

/// I genuinely have no idea if you're being serious or not. ///

I always believe in giving credit where it is due.

Surely you accept that you argued your case well Jim, or are you not too sure?