Big government, international style, saving lives.
Underscoring the fact that Ebola is not very contagious, and that rigorous health care protocols can stop it, there's some
big news today:
The outbreak of Ebola in Senegal is officially over but the country remains vulnerable to further cases of the deadly disease being imported, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
It's worth reiterating that in the United States exactly one person has died from Ebola, and not one person who traveled on the plane with him or lived with him in a small apartment in Dallas has contracted the disease. Two nurses who had not been adequately trained and equipped, and who were in regular direct contact with him, and were dealing with what has been described as "copious" amounts of his bodily fluids, are the only two known cases of infection contracted from the initial patient. Hopefully, the nurses will recover. Meanwhile, the American public at large is at
almost zero risk of infection, and the WHO says one of the West African nations where infection had occurred is
now clear of it:
It said Senegal government's response included identifying and monitoring 74 close contacts of the patient, prompt testing of all suspected cases, stepped-up surveillance at many entry points and public awareness campaigns.
Nigeria, which had been feared to be at risk for a major outbreak, also is close to being declared clear.
Amid the gloom surrounding the escalating crisis in West Africa, developments in Lagos show how the right techniques at the right speed can bring about a welcome result.
With a population of more than 170 million, Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation and there were fears that Ebola would take hold when a Liberian-American arrived with the disease in July.
Instead, along with much smaller Senegal, Nigeria is now on the brink of being clear of the virus for a 42-day period at which point the World Health Organization (WHO) can declare it Ebola-free.
Medical science and simple human diligence will prevail.