Up To 267 People Are To Be Monitored, In Connection With Latest DRC Ebola Outbreak; 78 Have Already Been Vaccinated...

A solid, swift response here -- however, two matters are of particular concern, this time around.

First, this outbreak (based on genetic testing of the reservoir of viral loads in the two deceased patients) is not from any already known variant in the human population. So, either the source of virus was bush meat (a nearly impossible path to regulate or prevent), or the source is a new chain from human to human, as yet undetected -- either of which would mean there will be more cases, perhaps outside the 267 now being monitored.

Second, the public health / relief workers are still encountering community resistance. Some of this is understandable, since being "labeled" in these more remote towns as having contact with Ebola may result in life-long stigma, and mostly unfounded discriminatory treatment. But it is also very-likely true that while no person vaccinated as a "contact, of a contact" will ever get the virus itself, there have been credible reports of reprisals against vaccinated people -- on the false assumption that they remain potential carriers.

In turn, there have been some sporadic reports (in prior outbreaks in DRC) of violence, including sexual abuse (even, in a few cases, allegedly by supposed health workers), of people isolated but found not to harbor the virus, after a two 21 observation periods have elapsed. In some ways, the people connected to an outbreak become what were once called "untouchables" -- in India.

All of that. . . is deeply vexing -- and heart-breaking. We do support, and salute the vast majority of selfless health workers putting themselves at risk, in trying to arrest these outbreaks. Here is the latest, from ReliefWeb's reporting overnight:

. . .Gene sequencing indicates a spill-over event from the host/animal reservoir, not linked to previous outbreaks in the province.

267 contacts of the Ebola victims need to be monitored, but not all are yet. Community resistance is a fact.

The first 200 doses of the rVSV-ZEBOV Ebola vaccine arrived in Mbandaka. 78 people have been vaccinated so far. Vaccination targets contacts of the Ebola victims, frontline and health workers. . . .

Do treat each other better than you would expect to be treated, in similar circumstances. . . make that a goal, for the day. . . Smile -- and Elon: try not to litter, on Mars when you (eventually) get there.

नमस्ते