UN Mission in Liberia Issues Statement on UNMIL and Ebola!

PRESS RELEASE

This is to clarify the facts regarding measures UNMIL has undertaken to ensure no further transmission of EVD after one of its medical personnel recently contracted the disease.

Following the discovery on 5 October that an UNMIL Medical staff member was symptomatic for Ebola, the Mission conducted robust contact tracing to ensure all people that came into contact with the staff member while they were symptomatic are assessed and isolated as necessary.

As a result of the rigorous contact tracing, 41 staff members who were possible contacts are under close medical observation, including 20 military personnel. This measure is precautionary and meant to ensure no possible further transmission of the disease. None of the personnel who are contacts have shown any symptoms but will be observed for the full 21-day possible incubation period.

Additional precautionary measures have included daily temperature checks and on-going screening at a military facility staffed by 209 personnel in Monrovia.

The mission is also extending the review of all of its actions initiated in the wake of its first, probable, case of EVD, late last month.

The UNMIL Medical staff member tested positive for Ebola on 06 October and is receiving treatment.

UNMIL will continue to do all that it can within its range of capabilities to help roll back the tragedy that is Ebola.

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Healthcare Worker Who Cared For Dallas Ebola Patient Tests Positive!

State health officials said on Sunday, that the health care worker who helped treat T.E Duncan has tested positive to the disease in a preliminary test

Texas Health Commissioner said " We knew seconds could be a reality, and we've been preparing for this possibility.

"We are broadening our team in Dallas and working with extreme diligence to prevent further spread". said Dr, David Lakey.

News say the worker, who was not identified, was an employee of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, where Thomas Duncan died last week.

It was gathered that the health care worker reported a low grade fever Friday night and was isolated and refereed for testing.

Officials interviewed the worker and were identifying "any contacts or potential exposures," the statement read.

The preliminary test was done at the state public - health lad in Austin and the positive result was received late Saturday, officials said, adding that other tests will be done by the Federal Centers for Disese Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Queen Elizabeth 11 Presents Angelina Jolie With Honorary Damehood!

Accompanied her husband and children, Hollywood's A list actress, film maker and United Nations goodwill ambassador Angelina received her Honorary Dame Grand cross award in the Palace's 1844 room by the Queen at Buckingham Palace, for her campaigning work fighting sexual violence and for services to UK foreign policy.



From the pictures, she wore what what described as "the most appropriate lilac jacket and skirt", worn with a classy up-do. It matches the Queen's outfit in length and general pastel-ness almost perfectly. 



"To receive an honor related to foreign policy means a great deal to me, as it is what I wish to dedicate my working life to. Working on PVSI and with survivors of rape is an honor in itself. I know that succeeding in our goals will take a lifetime, and I am dedicated to it for all of mine". She said.

After the presentation took place in the Palace's 1844 room, Pitt and the couple's six children were shown in and presented to the Queen. 

As an American citizen the actress cannot style herself a Dame but can use the initials of the award - DCMG - after her name.

Congratulation Angelina, that was an Honor well deserved...

Ebola More Complicated Than AIDS- Jim Yong Kim, As Controversy Trails Duncan's Returned To The U.S With Ebola Virus?

In an interview with CNN s Richard Quest World Bank President Jim Yong Kim dismissed remarks from a top United States health official who said Thursday that the global Ebola outbreak was similar to AIDS, warning that Ebola could be even harder to fight. 

Kim, a medical doctor who previously directed the HIV/AIDS program of the World Health Organization, said Ebola was "more complicated" than HIV because it is easier to transmit and harder to treat. 

“AIDS is a sexually transmitted infection, so it's actually more difficult to transmit HIV than Ebola," Kim said Thursday in an interview with CNN’s Richard Quest. 

"For AIDS, it was a matter of identifying the cases and getting them on chronic, long-term treatment,” he said. “Ebola is different — you have to have almost intensive care services available.”

Jim Yong Kim said Thomas Eric Duncan's decision to return to the U.S despite knowing he contacted the Ebola virus was the best option for him at the time, because coming from a person who contacted the virus from Liberia, where adequate health facilities is limited, Duncan knew he needed help and had to get out of Liberia to seek help in the United States; where he believed he would get better health treatment. 

Unfortunately, Duncan died before that could happen. 

According to reports, Thomas Eric Duncan contracted the virus while taking a dying neighbor to the hospital in a taxi during his visit to Liberia. 

He left Monrovia on a Sept. 19 flight and arrived in the U.S. the next day, he started showing symptoms of the Ebola virus on Sept. 24, and went to Dallas hospital for treatment on Sept. 26. He was sent home, only to be brought back by ambulance on Sept. 28 and diagnosed with the deadly virus.

...the question is....

...even when it was alleged that Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a media briefing with reporters earlier this week, said that doses of the experimental medicine ZMapp which was administered on Dr. Kent Brantly, a Texas doctor, and U.S. missionary, Nancy Writebol, were "all gone" and that the drug, produced by San Diego-based Mapp Biopharmaceutical, is "not going to be available anytime soon." 

Why wasn't the second experimental drug, made by Canada's Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corp, which though  "can be quite difficult for patients to take." administered to Duncan?

News has it that Duncan's family would have access to it, if they wanted to....

were they approached on this?

did they object to it?

What really happened?

Presidency Angry Over Inclusion In " Richest African Presidents List", Calls It An Attempt To "Unjustifiably Portray The President As A Corrupt Leader"!

After being rated as the sixth richest African President with an estimated net worth of $100 million by RichestLifestyle.coma website, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has demanded a retraction and an apology.

The list reportedly placed Jonathan on the same position as King Mswati III of Swaziland. 

In a statement issued by the Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, the presidency said the inclusion of the Jonathan's name on the list was to deliberately portray him as corrupt.

"The presidency condemns the totally unwarranted inclusion of President Jonathan in the publication titled "Africa's Richest Presidents 2014" as another attempt to unjustifiably portray the President as a corrupt leader and incite public disaffection against him." he said

Abati said, there was no factual basis for ranking the president as the sixth richest African Head of State. "As is well known, President Jonathan has never been a businessman or entrepreneur, but a life-long public servant. The president has held public office since 1999 and has regularly declared his assets as required by Nigerian laws." he said.

Others who made the list, from the first to ninth position respectively, were, Jose Eduardo dos Santos of Angola, King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta of Kenya, Paul Biya of Cameroun, Idriss Deby of Chad, and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.

American First Diagonized Ebola Patient Thomas Duncan Is dead!

The first person diagnosed with Ebola in the United States, Thomas Eric Duncan, reportedly died on Wednesday morning, according to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas where he was being treated.

Information revealed Duncan had been on a ventilator and on dialysis for failing kidneys, health officials said earlier.

In a Wednesday statement, the Texas Department of State Health Services said it would follow federal guidelines in handling Duncan's remains. "We will continue to treat Mr. Duncan with dignity and respect, and we're taking great care to make sure there is no additional risk that others could be infected," health commissioner David Lakey said.

News say that Duncan received an experimental medicine nearly a week after being admitted into a hospital — a far longer wait than experienced by four other Ebola patients treated in the U.S. 

The others are however Americans; Duncan is a Liberian.

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Dallas Deputy hospitalized with possible Ebola symptoms!

According to Dallas- area media, Dallas County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Monnig has been hospitalized at Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas after showing possible symptoms of  Ebola virus.

“The deputy expressed concern and we directed that deputy to the Dallas County Health & Human Services for care,” the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement. “We now wait for further information as medical staff attends to the deputy.”

Frisco Fire Chief Mark Piland told reporters that Monnig, who was transported from Frisco, Texas, had reported being in the Dallas apartment where Thomas Eric Duncan had been staying and having “some contact” with Duncan’s family members, 

Texas Department of State Health Services spokesman Chris Van Deusen said Monnig never had any contact with Duncan, and he doesn’t have a fever.

In a written statement, Van Deusen said “In a situation with no fever and no contact, there is no risk,” 

“We understand that anyone near the Dallas response will be very concerned about any health issues they experience, and we want them to report those issues so we can check them out quickly,” 

“We’re closely tracking those whose contact put them at risk of potential infection, and none of those people have reported any symptoms of Ebola.” he said.

Monnig's son told KTVT, that his father was a first responder and had spent about 30 minutes in the apartment, he woke up Wednesday, feeling sore and fatigued and with a stomachache.

“With the situation, what’s happened, he just decided it would be better to be safe than sorry,” Logan Monnig said.

The family does not expect that Monnig has Ebola, but still, his son said, “we’re kind of scared and just want to make sure he’s OK.”

The patient reportedly exhibited several possible symptoms of Ebola, Piland said.

“He had several, but not all five or six. He exhibited enough to trigger the preliminary screening,” Piland said. Health officials, he said, are “treating this as a low-risk event.”

“Right now, there are more questions than answers about this case,” the hospital said. “Our professional staff of nurses and doctors is prepared to examine the patient, discuss any findings with appropriate agencies and officials.”

When asked about the case by reporters, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Tom Frieden said the patient “does not have either definite contact with Ebola or definite symptoms of Ebola.”

A spokeswoman for CareNow, which made the call to emergency dispatchers, said the medical center “was being very cautious” after the patient checked yes in response to a screening question regarding travel to West Africa.

“We’ve had a patient that checked yes to one of the screening questions regarding travel to West Africa,” CareNow spokeswoman Vickie Johnson told CNN. 

“We are being very cautious and are in contact with the health department to ensure we follow proper protocol. Our concern is for the safety and well-being of everyone in our clinic.”

The new patient’s case was the latest development as fears and concerns over Ebola spread worldwide. With multiple developments on numerous fronts, here’s what you need to know to quickly get caught up on the latest.

Source: CNN