West Africa •

Cuban Doctor heals successfully against Ebola in Geneva

December 6, 2014 By Rebecca McGhee Leave a Comment

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A Cuban doctor makes a full recovery against the deadly Ebola virus at a local hospital in Geneva, and is already enroute to meet up with his family members back home on Saturday.

Dr. Felix Baez was amongst the 256 Cuban doctors and nurses who participated in relief activities against the Ebola outburst in West Africa earlier this year. The outbreak which has killed more than 6,000 people till date is one of the worst recorded.

At the request of the World Health Organization WHO, Baez was hospitalized in Geneva, whose head office is also situated in the city.

Dr. Baez contracted the disease in the worst hit country Sierra Leone. 106 out of a total of 138 health workers who caught the disease in Sierra Leone, have died, resulting in a much higher fatality rate than among health workers in the neighboring Guinea and Liberia.

At the hospital in Geneva, Baez received two drugs to fight the disease and spokesman said he was feeling much better after two days of treatment. Amongst the two drugs, one was the Canadian experimental ZMab and the other was the untested Favipiravir made by Japan’s Fujifilm. ZMab is a precursor to ZMapp, which has been used to treat several U.S. patients as well. While Favipiravir is included by WHO in its list of potential Ebola treatments.

Baez was the first case of Ebola in Switzerland and also Cuba’s first citizen to contract the deadly disease. He was treated in complete isolation at the hospital and at no point in time was there any risk of transmission to the masses.

Novel Study Intends To Test Survivors’ Blood To Treat Ebola Patients

November 20, 2014 By Jason Leathers Leave a Comment

An alliance of companies along with some aid groups revealed plans Tuesday to test experimental medications and gather blood plasma from Ebola survivors to treat new sufferers of the disease in West Africa.

Plasma from survivors contains antibodies — substances the immune system makes to brawl the disease. A few Ebola patients have gotten survivor plasma and recuperated, however specialists say there is no real way to know whether it truly helps without a study like the one they are going to begin this month.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is giving $5.7 million to scale up creation of the medicines for the task in Guinea and other Ebola-affected countries in Africa. More than twelve organizations, colleges, and others are helping supplies, staff and money, and are working with the countries and the World Health Organization on particular systems and areas.

Other than helping Ebola patients now, plasma “could be a gizmo for a future outbreak too” from diverse viruses, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said in an interview with The Associated Press.

“You may not have medications and vaccines for some new thing” and it would be excellent to have capacities set up to gather and provide plasma to fill the crevice until those different apparatuses can be produced, he said.

Until now, there are no medications or vaccines approved for Ebola, which has taken the lives of around 5,000 individuals this year in West Africa, the vast majority of them in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Former week, doctors without borders also said it would host studies of experimental treatments and plasma at 3 of its West Africa treatment centers.

The medications to be tested by both groups contain brincidofovir, an antiviral drug that has been attempted in a couple of Ebola cases as such. Its producer, North Carolina-based Chimerix Inc., created it to treat different sorts of viruses and lab tests propose it may battle Ebola.

“We said to them, ‘well, if money was no constraint, what amount might you be able to make?’ and they provided us a number,” Gates said. “So we said, ‘alright, we’ll take the chance that perhaps no one will ever purchase this from you. So we’ll help you expand the production.'”

Making plasma accessible is an intricate errand. Plasma is the lucid part of blood, and the part that contains antibodies. In Africa, donors’ blood will be cleaned via machine to eliminate little amounts of plasma and give back the rest of the blood to the benefactor — a process that permits somebody to give as frequently as every two weeks.

One of the first patients effectively treated for Ebola in the United States — Dr. Kent Brantly, aid worker — got plasma from a 14-year-old boy he treated in Africa, where he was tainted. Brantly has given plasma a few times to Ebola patients in the United States.

However, a plasma beneficiary must have a compatible blood type as the giver. Also, survivors who give plasma should be tested to verify they are cured of Ebola and don’t have other illnesses, for example, hepatitis, syphilis or HIV. The Africa study will make an added stride — utilization of a trial framework by Cerus Corp. for inactivating viruses in blood.

Dr. Ada Igonoh, a specialist in Nigeria who got Ebola from a patient and recuperated, hopes to give plasma and volunteer others for the study.

“Survivors will be ready if they comprehend the objective,” she said.

Recently, Igonoh and Brantly met with Gates to talk about the task at an American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene gathering in New Orleans.

Dr. Luciana Borio, who is heading the Food and Drug Administration’s Ebola reaction, talked at the meeting about plasma. Despite the fact that it appeared to help sometimes, “The upshot is that we don’t generally know whether it helps and to what degree it may help,” she said.

“We’d love to not be in the same circumstance later on,” and a study is the best way to know beyond any doubt, she said.

A Northeast Ohio organization, Clinical Research Management Inc., that agreement with sponsors to run clinical trials, will lead the plasma study in Africa. Plasma will be gathered through three bloodmobiles gave by one more Microsoft co-founder, Paul G. Allen, and the Greenbaum Foundation. The bloodmobiles have been moved to Africa.

The US Armed Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) will give Ebola testing to the study. A few colleges will help, as will the Blood Centers of America and the Safe Blood for Africa Foundation. Several other organizations contribute utensils and supplies.

Woman Died In New York Tests Negative For Ebola

November 19, 2014 By Jason Leathers Leave a Comment

According to the New York health officials, an Ebola test of a person who expired of an apparent heart attack Wednesday returned negative for the virus.

The expired, who was not recognized, had as of late gone to the United States from West Africa, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said in an announcement. The individual had been in one of the countries hardest hit by the epidemic only 18 days prior, the announcement said.

The department said, “Before death, we haven’t observed any symptoms of Ebola. Then again, because of travel history in the 21-day incubation period and a profusion of vigilance, an Ebola test will be performed on the person’s body.”

Levi Fishman, department representative told Reuters on Wednesday that the test returned negative.

Moreover, Fishman refused to give any information about the individual, including gender, region and the time of death.

“The individual was a woman and that she was announced dead at a Brooklyn hair salon at around 2:30 p.m. EST Tuesday,” the New York Times reported.

Last Tuesday, Dr. Craig Spencer, who worked with Ebola patients in Guinea, was released from a New York City hospital after recuperating from Ebola after his 23^rd Oct. diagnosis.

Ebola can be transmitted just through the bodily fluids of a sick person with symptoms, medical specialists said.

On Friday, The World Health Organization stated that the Ebola outburst, which is the deadliest on record, has brought about 5,177 deaths out of 14,413 cases, generally in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Californian State Implemented Sturdy Ebola-Protection Rules for Health Workers

November 15, 2014 By Rebecca McGhee Leave a Comment

According to the recent reports revealed, California has implemented some of the nation’s strapping rules to guard doctors, nurses along with other health workers dealing with patients with Ebola.

The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced the rules on Friday, require approximately state’s 300 acute-care hospitals to supply hazardous material suits, respirators, isolation rooms and extensive training to individuals dealing with patients suspected of getting the Ebola virus.

The novel rules elucidate and expand upon general recommendation released in Oct.

Nurses praised the rules as a model for the rest of the nation.

Chuck Idelson, a spokesperson for National Nurses United said, “The governor and OSHA have really inspired nurses using their persistence to this. They’ve proven a complete dedication to look after patients and nurses.”

The rules tend to be more comprehensive than those put forth by the CDC, that the state’s hospitals have been following so far.

Jan Emerson-Shea, speaker for the California Hospital Association, said, “Hospitals will work carefully with Cal/OSHA authorities as hands-on training periods go on for individuals employees who are likely to provide care to patients with Ebola.”

Until now, no Ebola cases happen to be reported in California, even though the virus is constantly devastating West Africa, where about 5,100 individuals have died. Within the United States, one person has died of Ebola yet.

The new rules pursue a global nurses’ protest Thursday demanding more powerful protections for individuals dealing with Ebola patients.

MSF Faced Criticism for Not Calling For Ebola Vaccine Earlier

November 14, 2014 By Rebecca McGhee Leave a Comment

An Expert stated that Medecine Sans Frontiers wasted a lot of time in waiting for a vaccine to battle with the deadly Ebola virus.

The team’s response to the lethal disease has been admired all around the globe. The majority of the government authorities and the World Health Organization appreciated the response of the group.

MSF organized a proper set up in a region where Ebola has killed nearly 5,000 people. Thus far, the non government group has cured more than 3,000 patients of Ebola.

Jean-Herve Bradol, a member of MSF’s think tank stated that earlier the team focused on the policies it used earlier in the smaller outbreaks of the virus. Experts tried really hard to apply those methods and techniques on the patients of Ebola. It was certainly the biggest mistake of the team since it pushed Ebola to its limits in the West Africa.

On the other hand, Bradol, Paris based center for Reflection on Humanitarian Action stated that MSF asked for permission for the development of the vaccine in the end of September. Most of the experts were merely engaged in the talks regarding the cure and vaccine for the fatal disease. However, it was definitely impossible to control the disease without any proper treatment and medications.

MSF is commonly known as the Doctors Without Borders. It is an organization that worked almost day and night to discover an appropriate vaccine for Ebola. Ebola came into view in a few countries of West Africa in the month of March. At that time the team concentrated on the setup procedure through which they can isolate patients.

Currently, the group is treating patients in its six different medical centers in Liberia, Sierra, Guinea and Leona.

Nevertheless, the group stated that World Health Organization and Guinean government is responsible for this delay.

Ebola Attacks a Remote Area of Sierra Leone

November 10, 2014 By Brian Galloway 2 Comments

Thus Far, 50 people died from the deadly virus Ebola in Koinadugu, the last region of Sierra Leone. Koinadugu is district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. It is basically an inaccessible, mountainous area.

John Mariah, the head of the Red Cross informed that fifty people have died since last year in Koinadugu. Moreover, he stated that the death rate will probably increase in the next few months.

Currently, nine people are in the isolation centre among who two are in a very critical condition. It is definitely a very complex situation for everyone.

Earlier, the region was reported as one of the unaffected area of the country. Later on, Health workers reported 60 cases in that region.

As per the rumors, a trader who died from Ebola in the Kono spread this disease. Kono is a district situated at around 30 kilometers away from Koinadugu.

Unfortunately, the disease spread more quickly than the expectations of experts. In the beginning people even could not believed that it was Ebola. The slow reaction from the people was the chief reason behind the wide spread of this lethal disease.

Foday Jalloh, the chief of the Nieni region informed that there are numerous bodies lying on the streets of that region.

A report of World Health Organization revealed that the disease took the lives of 4,960 people in the West Africa.

Facebook New “Donation Button” – A Campaign Against Ebola

November 7, 2014 By Rebecca McGhee 1 Comment

Facebook added a donate button on its social networking site in order to make a small contribution in battle with Ebola.

The social media company intends to set up approximately 100 satellite communication in West Africa. These satellites will improve both the phone and internet service in affected area.

Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook and his wife initiated this program last month. They donated $25 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Zuckerberg stated that he only wants to make a contribution in the fight with this worst outbreak.

Moreover, the social networking website collaborated with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in order to give awareness to the people of West Africa through Facebook.

This week Facebook will launch three different buttons for donation on the users’ homepage. These three buttons will donate money to the International Federation of Red Cross, International Medical Corps and Red Crescent Societies.

Furthermore, the company stated the reason behind the selection of these three groups. The chief reason is that these charities work directly in the Africa. Therefore, they would be able to collect more money as compared to the other non-profit organizations.

Chris Weasler, head of connectivity planning in Facebook stated that these new units will offer connectivity to those regions where there is no coverage. These divisions will allow African people to contact with their relatives and health workers in case of any emergency.

Facebook’s new Ebola donate feature would help to raise direct funds for Ebola affected West Africa

November 6, 2014 By Jason Leathers Leave a Comment

Facebook has announced a new Donate feature for curtailing the deadly Ebola disease. This feature would soon start popping up on Facebook user’s News Feeds. This initiative highlights three charitable organizations to direct funds: International Medical Corps, American Red Cross, and Save the Children.

Earlier, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg also donated $25 million to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention towards the Ebola crisis, and he is not stopping on that as well because he wants people to take out time from liking their friends wedding or baby photos in order to take the Ebola cause seriously.

Facebook is also collaborating with UNICEF on an education campaign to integrate into users News Feeds that will educate the public on Ebola symptoms and the outbreak’s status in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

Medical workers in afflicted countries will also benefit directly from Facebook’s coming emergency communications capacity to improve voice and data services in collaboration with NetHope.

“Response organizations estimate that for each patient, at least 10 other people will provide health care, contact tracing and other services that may require telecommunications, and improvements are most important in rural areas where infrastructure is weakest and case loads are highest,” Naomi Gleit, VP of Product Management and Chris Daniels, VP of Internet.org, said in a statement on the new initiatives.

Liberia’s largest Ebola Treatment Center in Monrovia

November 1, 2014 By Brian Galloway Leave a Comment

Liberia’s president inaugurates the biggest Ebola treatment center in Monrovia. Thus far, the deadly disease has taken the lives of several people in West Africa.

U.N representatives and American officials were also invited in the inauguration ceremony. The hospital contains space for more than 200 patients.

On the other hand, shortly after this opening an Ebola unit has been shut down in another side of the country.

The USAID is engraved on the front wall of this new Ebola treatment center. It seems like the new center has taken up the burden from the shoulders of other hospitals. Majority of the Ebola patients now prefer the new Ebola treatment center instead of the other local ones.

MSF, doctors without borders informed that currently 80 patients are admitted in the largest Ebola treatment center.

Moreover, the group closely examines the causes behind this great alterations in the attitudes of the people. Later on, they reported that pathetic ambulance service, new transfer systems are some of the major reasons.

Tolbert Nyenswah, Assistant Health Minister informed that team of Cuban doctors and JKF Ebola medical panel are presently the controlling the new center.

Recently, Canada and Australia cancelled all the visas of Ebola patients in order to save their countries from this lethal disease.

The Canadian government officially announced that it put off all the visa applications of the natives of Africa.

Why U.S. Ebola Patients Recover Quicker Than Those in West Africa? 3 Possible Reasons!

October 29, 2014 By Rebecca McGhee Leave a Comment

CNN reported that medical experts have several theories on why, just one patient, Thomas Eric Duncan has died with the Ebola virus in the United States with all 8 other patients treated in U.S hospitals either recovering or still alive, regardless of Ebola’s distressing body count in West Africa.

Possible reasons include:

The two Dallas nurses, Amber Vinson and Nina Pham, who cared for Duncan, were 29 and 26, respectively. Bruce Ribner, M.D., of Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, who treated Vinson, told CNN “We know from a lot of data coming out Africa that younger patients do much better than patients who are older.”
Duncan was not treated in one of the 4 hospitals that made special preparations for diseases like Ebola over a period of years.
As compared to 4 other U.S. patients who received the medication immediately, Duncan did not receive it until 6 days after his admission to the hospital. Robert Murphy, director of the Center for Global Health at Northwestern University in Chicago, told USA Today, “Mr. Duncan had an unfortunate delay in diagnosis and did not receive an experimental therapy until just before he died. That’s why we did not help his case.”

In addition to Duncan and the two Dallas nurses, U.S. Ebola patients include a New York City doctor and American missionaries who helped care for Ebola patients in West Africa.

According to NBC News, containing the outbreak in Africa is vitally important to prevent its spread. Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf told NBC News, “In spite of the good news for U.S. patients, “if … this disease spreads, then we’re all in trouble.” Liberia has been hardest-hit by the outbreak.

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