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The Forum > Article Comments > Ebola is not the only, or most dangerous, challenge we face > Comments

Ebola is not the only, or most dangerous, challenge we face : Comments

By Peter Curson, published 28/10/2014

So far 120,000 people have reported being infected but the real figure is probably closer to 200,000.

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I could get to hate greenies. If this growth of mosquito born diseases is true, I would have every right to hate them.

I was in Rabaul area from 74 to 76, just after self government. I have said elsewhere PNG was no where near ready for self government, when they idiot Whitlam set it in train.

Now Rabaul was a great town, well run by the colonial administration, with many locals on staff & growing in competence. It was virtually mosquito free due to a fogging program. I ran the Tutt Bryant spare parts department a couple of times for them.

Row upon row of industrial shelving housed parts for almost half the worlds cars & machinery. It was a good instillation, until self government failed to maintain the fogging program.

The second time I ran the place, there were mosquito coils burning at each end of each row, but you still only went out there with long pants, & a long sleeve shirt, such were the mozzies.

In many other places, previously malaria free areas were reverting to malaria & dengue ridden wastelands. This was the result of green ratbaggery stopping the fogging programs that had been so successful in improving life for all.

I left the area, partly due to advice that another dose of dengue would have very serious results, if it didn't kill me outright.

Yes I could easily hate greenies. If ever I was going to bother hating anyone, it most definitely would be greenies.
Posted by Hasbeen, Wednesday, 29 October 2014 4:39:22 PM
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When insurance companies start having Ebola exclusions,you know they have done their serious risk assessments. http://www.businessinsider.com.au/insurance-now-has-ebola-exclusions-2014-10

Last week CNN were reporting 10,000 cases in Africa with 4000 deaths. Now we hear a possible 200,000 cases worldwide with 10,000 deaths. They were saying numbers are doubling every month.If there are 200,000 cases, were are all in deep trouble.
Posted by Arjay, Wednesday, 29 October 2014 5:30:21 PM
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Some good news..
Australia Closes Borders to Ebola affected Countries
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/australia-shuts-borders-to-ebolaaffected-countries-20141027-11ciut.html#ixzz3HRoUE29U
Posted by Armchair Critic, Wednesday, 29 October 2014 9:50:47 PM
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Hullo Agronomist. Thank you for your response. It did not actually address the main concern, which is, as Boyle and many others have pointed out, that the virus has been genetically manipulated to become a bioweapon. Regardless of whether the patent remain valid, it begs the question of why would they genetically manipulate the virus in the first place. It is, as you point out, seen in fruit bats, but that is only one version. The US (and no doubt others) have also weaponised anthrax which again raises some obvious questions.

As to your comments on the wider population question it is not a matter that I raised in either of my comments. As a former demographer I would claim some expertise on the question, but it is not something that can be discussed with much utility within OLO's word limits. As a general proposition however, I would support health measures that decrease morbidity and mortality. The short term outcome would be a population increase in those countries, but as the demographic transition experience of Europe and later elsewhere shows, there is a consequential effect on birth rates. The bigger problem in my view is one of widely disparate levels of development and the grossly unequal distribution of wealth. The issues are, in short, inextricably linked.
Posted by James O'Neill, Thursday, 30 October 2014 9:52:21 AM
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James O'Neill, the claim by Boyle and others as stated by you here is clearly impossible.

Ebola would be a useless bioweapon. The only mode of transmission is close contact with a sufferer who is showing symptoms of the disease. It lasts only a short time on surfaces and cannot be transmitted through the air - except perhaps on particles of vomit - and certainly no distance through the air.

As such it will be orders of magnitude greater risk to those handling the virus compared with those on the receiving end.

The only practical way of creating an epidemic would be to fire large numbers of fruit bats at people.
Posted by Agronomist, Saturday, 1 November 2014 1:22:16 PM
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