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AS THE HSE confirms it is carrying out tests on the body of a man found in Donegal to determine whether he died of Ebola, authorities in the west African nation of Liberia said today they were struggling to deal with their dead.
More than 1,350 people have died since March in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone as a result of the disease — the worst outbreak since Ebola’s discovery almost 40 years ago.
So what is Ebola? How is it spread? And how are doctors treating it?
Here’s our brief guide…
Ebola first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks, one in a village near the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and another in Sudan.
It’s precise origins are unknown but fruit bats are considered the most likely hosts, according to research.
Here’s how the World Health Organisation describes it:
Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe, often fatal illness, with a case fatality rate of up to 90 per cent. It is one of the world’s most virulent diseases. The infection is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, body fluids and tissues of infected animals or people. Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. During an outbreak, those at higher risk of infection are health workers, family members and others in close contact with sick people and deceased patients.
File photo: Jan 1997… Government veterinarians line up dead monkeys after administering lethal injections at a farm near Manila. More than 600 monkeys in the farm were ordered killed following the discovery of an Ebola virus strain from two of them which were shipped to the US for scientific research.
The typical signs are a sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat.
This is followed by diarrhoea, vomiting, impaired liver function — and in some cases internal and external bleeding.
As the disease progresses, the body goes into shock, coma and death…
In the current outbreak, the majority of cases have occurred as a result of human-to-human transmission.
The disease is spread via direct contact through broken skin or mucous membranes, with the blood or other bodily fluids of infected people.
It can also be spread through objects that have become infected with a victim’s bodily fluids — like soiled clothing, bed linen or used needles. Transmission has also occurred during funerals and burial rituals.
Generally, for an outbreak to start, a person must come into contact with an animal that has Ebola — and it can then spread within the community from person to person.
File photo: December 2001… Workers wearing protective clothing bury five-year old Adamou, next to the graves of other Ebola victims in a cemetry in Mekambo, north eastern Gabon, following an outbreak.
The time interval from infection to onset of symptoms is from 2 to 21 days.
Patients become contagious when they develop symptoms but are not contagious during the incubation period.
People remain infectious as long as their blood and bodily fluids contain the virus. Infected patients are closely monitored by medics, and regular lab tests are carried out before they can be cleared and allowed home.
Men who recover from Ebola can still spread it for up to seven weeks after their recovery through their semen.
Again according to the WHO, those at higher risk of infection are…
More than 100 health workers have been exposed to the virus while caring for Ebola patients, including two American aid workers who were discharged from hospital this week after being treated with an experimental drug.
Ebola victim Dr. Kent Brantly during a news conference after being released from Emory University Hospital in Atlanta today.
No known vaccine or drug treatment has been proven to fight Ebola.
Treatment of the virus involves providing the patient with intravenous fluids and balancing electrolytes — as well as providing oxygen, if needed, and treating other infections as they occur.
Although the two American patients, and a number of other Liberian doctors, were treated with a drug which had never been used before on humans, it’s unclear as yet whether that drug aided in their recovery.
The experimental ‘ZMapp’ treatment was also administered to a Spanish priest who contracted the disease, but he died in Spain last week, the BBC reports.
The survival rate for the current outbreak is around 47 per cent.
Scientists in France confirmed back in March that a highly contagious epidemic raging through the southern forests of Guinea was, in fact, Ebola, as 59 deaths were confirmed.
Liberia confirmed its first cases before the end of that month.
In May, Sierra Leone confirmed its first fatality, and the WHO warned that the rapid spread had occurred in part because containment efforts had been too relaxed.
In July, the virus spread to Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria, as a Liberian national died in quarantine in Lagos. Doctors Without Borders warned that Ebola was out of control and that there was a risk of it spreading to other countries.
A number of countries, including Nigeria, have declared national emergencies in the weeks since. Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone have set up a a cross-border isolation zone around the epicentre of the outbreak.
Some airlines have suspended flights to affected countries as a result of Ebola fears.
However, the WHO says that the risk of transmission of the disease during air travel remains low…
The Department of Foreign Affairs has been regularly updating its travel advice for affected countries since the start of the outbreak. The advice for Liberia, Guinea and Siera Leone was updated today.
It will come as no surprise that Irish citizens are being warned against all non essential travel to the region.
[DFA/screengrab]
Here’s the DFA’s advice for anyone returning…
“If you develop fever, unexplained fatigue, diarrhoea or any other severe symptoms in the few weeks following a departure from a tropical area, you should: seek rapid medical attention mentioning your travel history, since it may result from an infection like malaria that requires immediate investigation and treatment.
“If you have been directly exposed to any bodily fluids from a dead or living infected person or animal, including unprotected sexual contact with patients that have recovered, you should: Seek rapid medical attention mentioning your travel history.
Contact the medical care facility by phone before your visit, in order to enable medical personnel to use appropriate protection at the time of admission.
Authorities have been hampered in their fight against Ebola by the death of several top health officials and numerous frontline doctors.
But despite the rising death toll, WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib this week noted “encouraging signs” in Nigeria and Guinea, where prevention measures and work to trace lines of infection are starting to take effect.
The Nigerian outbreak has been traced to the first patient, who died in Lagos. All subsequent Nigerian victims had direct contact with him.
Ebola virus: AFP
In Sierra Leone, where 374 people have died, the outbreak has also been traced back to one person: a herbalist in the remote eastern border village of Sokoma.
Further use of experimental treatments has been authorised by the WHO, given the extent of the crisis — including ZMapp and the Canadian-made VSV-EBOV vaccine.
However, Doctors Without Borders says that the outbreak could take up to six months to control.
Includes reporting from AFP.
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It has to start before it can end.
That’s what she said.
Now I am worried. Only half of Irish people know when summer is? For the lve of god journal can u hide this poll from foreigners.
For me Summer is June, July and August because I have exams up until the end of May. I know when Summer ‘really’ is, but my Summer doesn’t start in May as far as I’m concerned.
Eh Gregory – technically Summer is May, June and July, so only 30% were correct.
I side with the 49% who think that June July and August would be more suitably called summer because of the weather patterns (bar this years).
Summer ends at Halloween, this new calendar is rubbish.
Mark can you explain how summer technically is May June & July?
it’s may , June and July , I think we only associate august as a summer month because the kids are on their ‘ summer’ holidays !
We were told in school that it is May, June, July. To be fair, in Ireland, it doesn’t really matter.
November, December, January is winter, February, March April is spring, May , June, July is summer, August , September and October is autumn.
In a agri-based society as we were, like every where else for so long Summer would have been the height of grass growth.
80% of grass growth for the year is done by July.
Wrong. Summer is the warmest months of the year.: The warmest months in order are:
1. July
2. August
3. June.
Winter is the coldest months of the year. The coldest months in order are:
1. January
2. February
3. December.
Only half of Irish people know when Summer is, as normally they’re still waiting for it to start, and then all of a sudden the clocks are going back and it’s Winter. We actually had Summer this year in April, so Summer can realistically be anytime between April and October.
Summer is officially over the end of the first week of school! First week back is always glorious! After that it’s game over.
Frank,
You’re 100% incorrect.
Spring,: Feb, Mar, & April, Summer: may, June, July. Autumn : August ,Sep, Oct, Winter: Nov, Dec & Jan. that’s what I was taught in school. I know lots of people consider June-Aug “the summer because that’s when school hols and the “good” weather is but August is Autumn.
Only 10% actually ;)
I can’t wait for Summer next year I hear its on a Thursday…..
Damn I’m working that day, typical!
Always got taught in school that summer was – may June and July!
Not in the school that i went to. Summer = hottest 3 months of the year (June July August), Winter = the coldest 3 (Dec, Jan , Feb). Spring and autumn being the ones in between on either side.
The Irish translation of the months of the year might be of help to solve this
Mean Fomhair – September (middle autumn)
Deireadh Fomhair – October (end Autumn)
Therefore the summer months would be May, June and July.
Lunasa in Irish is the pagan celebration of the harvest festival. Beginning of autumn. St.Brigid brings the spring (1st Feb). Although the weather does not reflect it, summer is May, June, July.
Ah when did it start????
Anyone who knows their Irish knows that October is Deireadh Fómhair – the “End of Autumn” and September is Meán Fómhair – the “Middle of Autumn”. By extension August must be the “Start of Autumn” – or technically “The Harvest” – therefore summer must end on the last day of July – and to add to this MidSummer is around the summer Solstice – the longest day of the year.
There is loads of evidence that the Celtic Calendar has May, June and July as the Summer – and mid december as the shortest day and the middle of Winter….. but not in other customs or cultures, and some, like Canada, have summer starting on the longest day of the year.
Of course the “problem” is that the weather tends to lag about 6 weeks behind the Celtic seasons – and meteorologists tend to run with summer being June July and August… … so there is no real right or wrong – but being in a country of Celtic culture I voted for May, June and July as Summer.
The fall as the yanks call it. Generally sept and October can be the best months in Ireland
The fall is Autumn in America as the leaves fall off the trees
It has to feckin start first…
Summer usually starts in September when all the kids are gone back to school..
Some of them are back tomorrow. Give me my Back to School Heatwave!!
Isn’t the 1st of May, the first day of summer? Three months per season so therefore May, June and July are the summer months… Although someone would want to tell the daft ould bint Mother Nature that. She appears to be stuck in November mode.
Ya May 1st is what I always learned in school as well.
Although interestingly, they have totally different dates for the start and end of summer in the US! They say summer begins with the summer solstice (around June 21) and ends with the autumn equinox (around September 23). Both dates seem a bit late to me for the start and end of summer!
Ireland (republic) is literally the only country in the world to teach in schools that summer is May June July. This bizarre fact even has a Wikipedia entry. I’m actually serious.
thady , don’t know where you got that from , my little one did the seasons before she finished up for the holidays and she was taught , may , June and July and its even in her school books !
And what is wrong with that?
Er, that’s exactly what I said Suuz.
thady , so ya did , my apologies !
Met Éireann doesn’t have the Power… Mother nature does!
Whoever said may June and July.. I will find you and I will kill you.
Last year….
Only the Irish think May is a summer month ! Guys…June July and August is the summer
I go home to Ireland a few times a year but usually go during months of November to April as that way I only need to bring clothes for one season so don’t have to pay for excess baggage. I was home this year at the end of last month as thought I would give summer in West coast of Ireland a try for once but nearly froze to death. Never travel to Ireland without your winter coat even in what is summer in the reast of Europe and make sure you always have wellies somewhere handy.
What summer?
Summer ends when you check in for your return flight to the emerald isle
The summer ends 21st September and is the following day is the Autumnal equinox.
Roll on winter.
May,September,October
Summer doesn’t have a set date, it just comes and goes every few years.
Is Summer based on the amount of hours of light available or how warm the soil temperature is?
We have Gaelic seasons (google it) in ireland which is why some of us think Summer is May, June and July. That changed when the neighbours got confused as they couldn’t speak our language. At the end of the day it’s rain and colder rain…
sum-mer?
A quick opinion from a person living in continental Europe. It may seem strange to you, but down here the norm is that summer is June, July and August, since they are definitely the hottest months of the year. This is a meteorological definition of seasons, and it is based on a typical continental climate, which means hot summers and cold winters. In contrast, Ireland has a temperate climate, which suggests warm to cool summers and mild winters. While in Ireland May may be already notably warmer than March and April, it is far from that on the continent.
The reason is not only the Gulfstream current, which grants Ireland the temperate climate it wouldn’t normally have, but also snow. Continental climates see a decent amount of snow during winters, and snow is a good insulator. As a result, it takes more time for the ground to warm after winter is over than in temperate climates. Thus, even though May is typically a warm month, it is certainly not hot enough to be summer, at least not until the end of the month. Compared even to June, average temperatures are much lower, though it is certainly a transitional month in inland Europe and North America.
In the end, even the four-season concept can be applied only to a part of our planet, so it is all relative. I’d say the best way to define seasons is according to local climate, as there cannot be a universal measure that applies to all parts of the world.
Did it even start?
Here is the Wiki link.Summer is June,July and August.The schools need to update this.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer
In Australia and New Zealand,Summer is December,January and February therefore in Ireland it has to be the opposite so it is June,July and August.
Never ends here in Orlando :)
May, June and July are the summer in The Vatican with the longest days. August is very dry and plants begin to wither, so it’s their autumn. That’s why Catholic schools teach that May, June and July are the summer months.
There is no way February is spring in Ireland, there’s ice and frosts and there are bare trees. May is still cool in Ireland with not all the leaves on the trees so I think it’s still spring.
It’s Feb, Mar, April is Spring. May June July is Summer. August September October is Autumn and November December January is winter. You learn this in first class. Are people idiots that they don’t know the seasons.
Or more accurately: February as Wing, March, April as Spring, May as Summspring, June, July as Summer, August as Summerfall, September, October as Autumn, November as Winterfall and December, January as Winter.
I only realised this in the past few years, that the seasons have more to do with sunrise/sunset hours than anything to do with the weather.
Winter-Nov,Dec,Jan- short days, long nights
Spring-Feb,Mar,Apr- days get longer, nights get shorter
Summer-May,June,July-long days, short nights
Autumn-Aug,Sep,Oct-days get shorter, nights get longer
And so on.
If you start with the solstices & equinoxes, and count either side about a month and a half, then you roughly get to where the seasons are now.
When does it start???
When the rose of tralee is over.
I think the leaving cert will always herald the start of the summer for me.. Tends to be when the good weather starts
Ireland seems to observe the celestial seasons, which results in the ludicrous scenario where the coldest month of the year is often not in “winter”.
Other countries ignore the celestial calendar and just take the coldest months of the year to be winter and the hottest months of the year to be summer. If you think that way Summer here is June, July, August. Winter is December, January, February.
I’ve always thought of Spring as being March and April. Summer as being May, June, July and August. Autumn as September and October and Winter as November, December, January and February.
Summer ends when the last Swallow leaves.
I use this to measure seasons, the times the ice grows and melts at the North pole is gives a clue I think. As the warmest time of year is suppose to be August and the coldest is February, so there is a two month delay after the longest and shortest day. So would that not make them then the middle of the season then for here?
It has been said that the gulf stream is colder this year, that will cause problems for us but there is a warm stream that enters it from the Mediterranean but if that gets colder so will our Summers?
We are in line with Canada and Siberia, so if the gulf stream gets colder, so will our summers and especially our winters? The more the ice melts at the poles the more diluted and weaker the gulf stream gets due to the stream being created as ice forms out of sea water that pushes salt out of the water which sinks due to salt concentration and into the global conveyor belt that creates and drives the gulf stream. Which in turn feeds all the plankton that produces the vast majority of the Earths oxygen… In summary…
No option for May,June,July and August.
Also no option for two days at the beginning of April and four days in the middle of October!!
Anyone who works around plants and outdoors will tell you that summer here ends after mid September. It is also based around the cycle around the sun. January is midwinter hence towards February is the coldest time of year.
Summer is the 2 hours of sunshine we get every day!
But technically the seasons are:
Spring – Feb-Apr
Summer – May-Jul
Autumn – Aug-Oct (look outside, leaves already turning colour)
Winter – Nov-Jan
As in the whole northern hemisphere, summer start on the summer solstice June 21th.
Don’t mistake climate and season.
And no , spring don’t start when the sheep are born (January) ;)
It never started.
Wait you mean to tell me that we had summer?,,
when did it start
It depends on what day summer is
The week after the kids go back to school!
When does it start more like
have your say