Ebola outbreak- Locals in Liberia are not buying the hype
10/07/14
1057 am
While researching the local news outlets in Africa, particularly Liberia and it’s capital, a reoccurring theme is being widely vocalized. Many locals think the Ebola virus is made up or it doesn’t even exist at all.
Why is the biggest area of Liberia Africa and it’s people disputing the CDC, WHO and other agencies when it comes to the scare of Ebola? Why are it’s indigenous people consistently saying they are not seeing the pandemic that is being sold in the Mainstream media. This is an interesting trend and begs one to look at why they are saying this.
Liberia is seeing a 70 percent quarantine rate across the country and many do not like being locked down in a small sector with very little freedom. This may be contributing to the statements being made. They are upset that they no longer have the freedoms they once did.e
Perhaps we can blame the current trend on “it’s people in the slums”, “it’s the uneducated that are saying this”, they don’t watch the news” or “they are angry.” Sure you can say this but the numbers are not measuring up to the hype to these people. Bluntly, they are not seeing people die.
Recently it has been reported that 2,000 people have died in 2014 and 3,000 since 1976. That is about 40 a year since 1976 dying in cities where 10,000 die every year from Rabies. Interestingly, 40,000 died last year of the common Flu virus in the US last year. Where is our pandemic response protection from those diseases? Seeing 40 die per year may be very difficult to see in a country with multiple millions. Seeing 2,000 die in a short period of time could be equally as hard to visualize.
It would be terribly irresponsible of me to say that EBOLA does not exist in Liberia or Africa. But, I can understand why the locals are having a tough time buying all the hype stating millions will die and this will be the end of civilization as we know it. Relatively, there are very few cases in an area with a little over 4 million people in a densely packed area. The attention and media mass hysteria doesn’t match the stir that is accompanying the “pandemic!”
When you look at the demographics of the area where reportedly the greatest spread of Ebola has occurred you begin to see why the alarm is not being sounded by the locals.
As per IndexMundi.com the source does not even list Ebola as a disease affecting this population of people where the median age is 17.9 years and the average life expectancy is in the mid 50s.
Instead it lists rabies and other vector related illnesses as their biggest disease threats affecting them, which in fact it is. It does list Lassa fever that has similar hemorrhagic symptoms as Ebola but not near the deaths. Lassa is mild by comparison. For a fact, approximately 80 percent of people infected never see significant symptoms and the remaining 20 percent do very well with Ribavirin and Interferon and has been shown to work very well against the Lassa fever virus and the rest have died. (link below)
Several locals have been quoted as saying ” if it were so bad would they really be sending children in light blue shirts into our slums knocking on our shanties and telling us to avoid touching people and to wash our hands?”, “They would keep them out of here!”
The truth be known they may not be seeing people dying from being infected with Ebola not because it doesn’t exist but because the rate of occurrence is so low.
With Liberia having approximately 4 million people and around 2,000 dying of Ebola that’s an occurrence rate of .0005 or 1 in 2000 people. When the HIV infection rate is 1.9 percent you can see where the pandemic message might be getting lost locally in Liberia.
With liberians doubting this disease even exists in their country there is also growing cynicism that this disease is being over reported because a few US governmental agencies and a several billionaires stand to profit from our demise. Many locals believe the disease spread is purposeful and or is a hoax.
This disease will spread and get worse in the US because there is growing interest to do so, I am convinced of that. If this spread or outbreak that hasn’t seen significant growth in 40 years gets mysteriously out of hand I can’t help but think it’s with purpose that it’s being spread by an evil hand. With our own government since January practically telling us this will happen even down to details, something begins to smell when you piece all the events together. The events leading up to this “huge outbreak” seems too well planned and predictable.
Even today another Dr is being shipped to the US with Ebola seeking treatment, why? As we are begging the US Government to shut down our travel borders to and from affected parts of Africa the CDC is saying, stopping flights will only make the situation worse. Huh? Why are we not shutting down borders and flight paths? Why are we seeing 100s cross the southern border from African nations? Why are we being so non chalant with quarantining and cutting off the spread? Why has the CDC Director taken a political stance when he should be at the grassroots level shutting this thing down. After all “it’s the biggest scourge of our time!”
God forbid this is a purposefully planned outbreak, if so we do not fully understand the power and influence of a government totally out of control. Nor do we understand the maestro that may be pulling the puppet strings of this orchestration.
Maybe we do not need to understand, perhaps it’s best we keep quiet and not follow these developments. Maybe we should be good little obedient citizens that dares not ask questions? Maybe if we just ignore it, it will go away? Maybe it will get out of hand? Maybe millions die? Then what? Continued silence?
Great sources of and inspiration for the blog entry above.
http://news.yahoo.com/cynicism-dies-hard-ebola-hit-liberian-slum-155358108.html
Demographics Africa
http://www.indexmundi.com/liberia/demographics_profile.html
Lassa fever, not Ebola is listed as an endemic (occurring constantly) and is treated well with Ribavirin and interferon, a potent ant viral drug combination. Lassa fever does not kill 80 percent of those infected.
Bradley County News Network 