ProMED MODERATOR JW SUGGESTED SOME ASPECT OF THIS WAS A HOAX (HEADLINE).
http://promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20141004.2832236
http://promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20141004.2832236
Amendment: It has been quite correctly noted below, by the moderator in a personal communication (or 4) and by others, that this image was posted or taken from a Dallas/Fort Worth TV (WFAA) station's chopper on 2-Oct. The infected man vomited 28-Sept, as he headed to hospital.
So let's say about 72-hours had passed while the vomit sat outside on a non-ceramic/steel surface (these are used in controlled lab experiments to show virus stability-perfect world stuff) through multiple cycles of Texan day/night, high/low temperatures. Okay. The power-washing process is thus extremely unlikely to have generated infectious droplets. Risky and ridiculously long period to leave potentially Ebola-laden vomit out in the open of course, but extremely unlikely to be a source of infection during the power-spraying (water-blasting/gurneying). Apologies for adding to the fear-mongering. -IanM
This from a Tweet sent to me by @LonnieRhea thanks)
.@kksheld WFFA-8 photo of crew w/ no PPE's spray washing #Ebola vomit off sidewalk. Via @wfaachannel8: pic.twitter.com/9TJzrkJJKQ cc: @fordvox
� Lonnie Rhea (@LonnieRhea) October 2, 2014 So far the Dallas Ebola virus disease case has been a great learning experience for the United States. It really does serve to highlight that humans are what make virus outbreaks...become outbreaks.
Viruses are nothing without us. And we are so eager to oblige in spreading them around.
Hopefully the virus in that vomit had been inactivated by heat, or the nature of the surface it was on or by drying out before being stirred up by a high pressure water blaster. And hopefully they sterilized their shoes and clothes and...sigh.
