There are a lot of Enterovirus strains, different strains break out in different years, much like different strains of flu virus do. Nobody really knows why.

A map of Enterero D-68.

http://www.cdc.gov/non-polio-enterovirus/outbreaks/EV-D68-activity.html

California is hot, AZ, NM and Tx are not. All border Mexico, prime entry point for those from Central America. How does your cross boarder hypothesis explain this. Why is Montana hot? Why Washington Maine and New Hampshire? Canadians?

Of 44 states reporting, 32 show low or declining EV-D68 activity, 12 show an increase. Are the 12 states getting proportionately more immigrants than the other 32?

{blushes} Why, thankew. Wondered if anyone would approve of that... had second thoughts as to the trivializing nature of it, but forged ahead with it anyway in the end, so I'm glad to see someone liked it!

As for the coffee mugs, dang, I should have provided some with this column...

:-)

BashiBazouk [12] -

Your first paragraph is addressed in today's [10/21] column. I think you'll enjoy it.

As for WWJD, how about "What would Father Damien do?" Ever been to Hawai'i?

M[13], BB[14] -

See today's column, especially the link to the Reuters article. They didn't let the guy out. That's what saved Nigeria. Even though he tried to force his way out and abuse his diplomatic clout. The doctor refused, and tied him down. She later died. She is the true hero of Nigeria's efforts.

Still missing from the debate in America: did Patient Zero in Dallas have health insurance? If he had gold-plated health insurance, would he have been turned away so cavalierly from the hospital the first time he showed up?

These are important questions which have received almost zero discussion in the media. Instead, we get Ebolapalooza.

OK, I gotta go watch Craig Ferguson now... I'll try to answer the rest of these tomorrow, promise...

-CW

YOU?? Yea, I would concede that...

But you are not representative of the Left... If only... :D

Double yawn. Are you going propose to screen air passengers from the Netherlands, Japan, Thailand or the Philippians? Because it's just as possible it came from those countries or was home grown, and much more likely.

If people from Netherlands, Japan, Thailand or Philippines started illegally encroaching upon our borders by the tens of thousands??

Damn skippy!! :D

Michale

Yawn. Scientists agree. If it had happened under a republican administration and the CDC said it was likely home grown, that's what I would believe. And I dare you to find anything I have written that would indicate otherwise.

But, it's moot. We agree that it's possible.. That's all I wanted to hear...

Double yawn. Are you going propose to screen air passengers from the Netherlands, Japan, Thailand or the Philippians? Because it's just as possible it came from those countries or was home grown, and much more likely. Or are you just trying to desperately find reason to hang on to an unlikely conspiracy theory to further your political agenda?

It's possible the outbreak came from central America but the evidence does not come close to supporting "probably". Experts agree...

Democrats agree..

Big difference. :D

But, it's moot. We agree that it's possible.. That's all I wanted to hear...

Michale

You mean other than the several clusters of outbreaks in the USA as mentioned by the link above?

Fact 1 D-68 is common in Central American children.

Evidence does not support "common". Exists in Central America yes, but at .3% of tested sick people, I don't think you can say it's common at all.

Fact 2 In the immediate aftermath of Obama's Open Borders policy, cases of D-68 increased by 350% in the US.

And yet it started in the mid-west but the unaccompanied minors came in through the southern border. How do explain that there were no initial outbreaks in border states where the kids were both entering the country and had the most host families taking them in?

It's possible the outbreak came from central America but the evidence does not come close to supporting "probably". Experts agree...

But you have to admit that I am possibly right.. Even, given the huge coincidence, probably right...

Michale

And it waited til 2014 to hit the US???

To increase the cases in the US by 350%??

And there was a massive influx of "refugees" from Europe & Asia??

What you post MAY be facts..

But since they aren't really relevant I didn't bother to confirm...

Fact 1 D-68 is common in Central American children.

Fact 2 In the immediate aftermath of Obama's Open Borders policy, cases of D-68 increased by 350% in the US.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to conclude that there MAY BE some connection...

Michale

Looks like the US outbreak is going to be very very small...

No end of the world today... :)

Michale

No. The "substantial proportion" is all the variations of HRVs and HEVs in tested subjects combined and accounted for about 19%. 68 was the least found in HEV's and there was more HRVs found than HEVs. See figure 3 for the breakdown of different HEVs found and figure 2 for the total percentage of HRVs and HEVs found.

It's like I said. You want to cherry pick the stuff that supports your agenda and ignore the stuff that doesn't...

Again, no, just good reading comprehension.

Explain the coincidence.

Unless you have an alternate explanation that covers the facts...

Yes. There has been a worldwide upswing of Enterovirus D-68 since 2009. Mostly in the North America, Europe and Asia...

According to the website that you quote re: the .3% from, it IS "substantial proportion"..

It's like I said. You want to cherry pick the stuff that supports your agenda and ignore the stuff that doesn't...

Lets face the real facts. You jumped on the latest anti-left bandwagon. Never checked the facts. Posted the facts without reading them, again. Got caught, again. Then after all this high talk about how you admit when you are wrong, refuse to do so, again. And instead try to weasel out of it, again.

Explain the coincidence.

You can't because no rational explanation exists..

TS,

Correlation does not demonstrate causality.

If it quacks like a duck and swims like a duck and walks like a duck.... It's a pretty safe bet that it's a duck..

Unless you have an alternate explanation that covers the facts...

No?? Didna think so.. :D

Above applies to all administrations. :D

Bullshit.. I saw the hysterics when Abu Ghraib took place.. I saw the histrionics during the domestic surveillance..

You can't tell me that, if the open border crap coupled with the D-68 outbreak happened under a GOP administration, there wouldn't be hysterics and histrionics from the Left to bring the house down..

The bedlam would be breathtaking...

Michale

Correlation does not demonstrate causality.

M-42

Above applies to all administrations. :D

.3% of tested sick kids with a certain virus is neither "rampant" nor "substantial proportion". Unless of course you have agenda...

It's just uncanny that your "facts" are completely in line with your ideology..

No, my facts come from a scientific paper that YOU POSTED

I bet you believe Obama never lied about TrainWreckCare, either, right?? :D

Yawn. Changing the subject?

And YOU claim, with NO FACTS to support it, that it's NOT related??

Nope, doubling down on ignorance (or are you going to read the paper you posted?). I guess it had to one or the other. In this case both...

Lets face the real facts. You jumped on the latest anti-left bandwagon. Never checked the facts. Posted the facts without reading them, again. Got caught, again. Then after all this high talk about how you admit when you are wrong, refuse to do so, again. And instead try to weasel out of it, again.

I guess you must live in a state that has legalized pot.. :D

Is it an ad hominem if you wish it were true? :D

The only difference is, we would all be in agreement..

Funny, eh?? :D

Michale

Before this year, there were 26 cases of D-68 in 10 years... That is 2.6 CASES PER YEAR...

NOW, in ONE YEAR, there are over 700 cases, a 350% increase, immediately in the aftermath of Obama's open border policy..

And YOU claim, with NO FACTS to support it, that it's NOT related??

That it's just a huge coinky-dink??

I guess you must live in a state that has legalized pot.. :D

Michale

Like I said.. You believe what you want..

It's just uncanny that your "facts" are completely in line with your ideology..

Funny how that is, iddn't it.. :D

I bet you believe Obama never lied about TrainWreckCare, either, right?? :D

Michale

Ah, no. I read the paper to which you linked to below.

Not so, but I'll let you have yer little dig. :D

Not a dig but accurate. And it gets better...

Actually it does...

Really? Then why does Texas and Florida not have huge outbreaks as they are taking in the most kids and Montana has an outbreak after taking one kid? Look at the states with outbreaks and the numbers of kids sent to each state and there is no correlation.

Yea, and we can trust EVERYTHING the CDC doesn't say, right?? :D
...
You basically rely on trust that the government is telling you and not telling you the facts...

The hallmark of a conspiracy theory...

Now I am sure you can nitpick your way thru the data and cherry pick some tidbits that support your claim...

No nitpicking required. Just reading comprehension. You posted it, why don't you actually read your link for once.

For if you did, you would know by now that they tested 3375 kids between 1 month and 25 years old with a median age of 3 that showed flu like symptoms (ILI = influenza like illness). Of those 3375, 10 tested positive for Enterovirus D-68, about .3%. Not exactly the standard definition of "rampant".

In Latin America as in other regions, HRVs and HEVs account for a substantial proportion of respiratory viruses identified in young people with ILI, a finding that provides additional support for the development of pharmaceuticals and vaccines targeting these pathogens.
http://www.virologyj.com/content/10/1/305

Now I am sure you can nitpick your way thru the data and cherry pick some tidbits that support your claim...

Have a ball.. :D

Michale

You misunderstood.. On purpose?? :D

In Central America, Enterovirus D-68 is rampant amongst children.

As far as testing the ones that came across the border, the medical tests were miniscule and many thousands were not even tested. This is established as fact by BP on the scene..

This is actually true. How unusual for you :D

Not so, but I'll let you have yer little dig. :D

And yet the locations of outbreaks do not correlate at all to the distribution of families hosting the kids coming up from central America.

Actually it does...

Also the CDC have not found any of the kids they tested to have Enterovirus D-68.

Yea, and we can trust EVERYTHING the CDC doesn't say, right?? :D

The rate of virus in latin Americans is low enough that it could have just as easily started locally as the US is a major place for the virus. It could also have come from Asia or Europe where is it also endemic.

Which doesn't explain the sudden explosion of D-68 that coincides exactly with the open border policy..

You may be right, Bashi..

But you don't adequately explain the coincident timing..

You basically rely on trust that the government is telling you and not telling you the facts...

Let me put it another way: trust the premier scientific organization in the study of diseases or someone who has been known to never miss a anti-Obama/left conspiracy bandwagon?

Which scientific organization would that be?? The political agency that said you can't get Ebola from sitting on a bus, but you can GIVE Ebola sitting on a bus???

The political agency that scapegoats victims to cover up their own incompetence??

That "scientific" agency???

Michale

Liz- Nanobreak?

I'm thinking I'd like to give Michale one of those.

I'm kidding, Michale. :)

Let me put it another way: trust the premier scientific organization in the study of diseases or someone who has been known to never miss a anti-Obama/left conspiracy bandwagon?

Then why are you commenting :D

FACT #1
In Central America, Enterovirus D-68 is rampant amongst children.

Actually it's not. If you follow any of the conspiracy theory stories it will lead you to a study that will be quoted says that 3% of all tested had Enterovirus including 68. If you look at the actual data, turns out it's .3% tested specifically had Enterovirus D-68. The rest of the 2.5% (they rounded up) had some other version.

FACT #2
Prior to this year, in the United States, there were 26 cases of Enterovirus D-68 in the past decade...

This is actually true. How unusual for you :D

Fact #3
Since Obama and the Democrats created an open border, there has been 700 cases of Enterovirus D-68 in the United States...

And yet the locations of outbreaks do not correlate at all to the distribution of families hosting the kids coming up from central America. Also the CDC have not found any of the kids they tested to have Enterovirus D-68.

The rate of virus in latin Americans is low enough that it could have just as easily started locally as the US is a major place for the virus. It could also have come from Asia or Europe where is it also endemic.

Correlation is not causation and in this case the correlation is pretty paltry...

Fact #3
Since Obama and the Democrats created an open border, there has been 700 cases of Enterovirus D-68 in the United States...

Let me put it this way...

Given these facts, it's "highly likely" that Obama's open border program caused the Enterovirus D-68 outbreak in the United States...

Michale

Let's examine the facts...

FACT #1
In Central America, Enterovirus D-68 is rampant amongst children.

FACT #2
Prior to this year, in the United States, there were 26 cases of Enterovirus D-68 in the past decade...

Fact #3
Since Obama and the Democrats created an open border, there has been 700 cases of Enterovirus D-68 in the United States...

Now, it HAS been a long LONG time since I have been in school, but I am still pretty sure that 1+1+1 still equals 3... :D

Seriously, while I won't say it's an absolute FACT that Obama's open borders caused the Enterovirus D-68 outbreak in the US (Joshua, YoYo and I just went thru this type of assumptions in a previous commentary :D ) I am hard pressed to find another explanation for the huge outbreak...

You???

Michale

That is much more conspiracy theory than scientific fact...

No matter how politically correct you wish to be, we have an outbreak of Ebola here in the US..

Michale

Semanticiz all you want. But, by any relevant definition, it is an outbreak...

Enterovirus D-68 has a handful of victims that have died. Yet, it's an outbreak...

Michale

You have one dead patient and two infected nurses who attended to him.

That is not an outbreak. Find another word.

We already have an outbreak as it is defined..

I agree that a large outbreak such as the West African outbreak is highly unlikely.

As to the border issue, no one is advocating closed borders everywhere..

Just every where that there is a health threat..

We have already had the Enterovoris D-68 come across our southern border that has resulted in the deaths of a dozen children.

How many more must die before the Left realizes that open borders is a really REALLY bad idea??

Michale

http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers/

I agree with Obama and believe that an Ebola outbreak in the US is highly unlikely.

But, should an Ebola outbreak ever materialize within the US, then y'all should be very, very afraid. Check that. All of us who inhabit this planet should be very, very afraid. Because, if an outbreak occurs - ANY LEVEL OF OUTBREAK - then I'm afraid that the political dysfunction that permeates through your country will not allow for an effective response.

I'm sorry. My previous comment needs revision.

What you're really saying, Michale - and, I am definitely following what you're saying, God help me - is that closing the borders EVERYWHERE, ALL OF THE TIME, makes good sense!!

That kind of non-serious thinking will do nothing to solve this problem or any other potential problem.

Closing the border ANYWHERE there is an outbreak makes good sense..

What you meant to say, if I'm following what you're saying, is that closing the border EVERYWHERE makes good sense!

And, that's the kind of non-serious premise that precludes further discussion.

How can it "make good sense" there, but not here??

Think about that for a moment ...

Words matter. There is NOT an Ebola OUTBREAK in the US.

What's to stop a few thousand terrorists from taking the grand tour thru West Africa, then taking a hop, skip and a jump over to Mexico. From there it's ridiculously easy to infiltrate the Southern Border and then ride public conveyances until the keel over....

What's to stop that now???

Answer: Absolutely nothing...

Michale

The quote is perfectly in context.

And we DO have an outbreak of Ebola here in the US. Whether it's a LARGE outbreak or not remains to be seen..

Well, it matters what borders you are talking about. Tightening up the porous borders among the West African countries involved in this outbreak makes good sense.

How can it "make good sense" there, but not here??

Closing the borders here will all but insure that we don't have the kind of outbreak they have over there..

PLUS, you have to consider the fact that we ALSO have the Enterovirus coming across the border, straining needed medical facilities and personnel...

Closing the border ANYWHERE there is an outbreak makes good sense..

The Obama Administration allowed Ben Gurion to be shut down just because a mortar landed somewhere nearby...

What we have coming across the border and what can POTENTIALLY come across the border??

A million times more the threat...

Michale

You can have all the aggressive tracking possible, but if you have open borders introducing new cases, tracking won't mean diddley squat...

Well, it matters what borders you are talking about. Tightening up the porous borders among the West African countries involved in this outbreak makes good sense.

Implying that the so-called (by some, ahem) porous US borders should be closed is non-serious and a great example of transference and conflation of the Ebola crisis with the immigration problem.

This "border" issue confusion on the part of one Republican congresswoman the other day at the Ebola hearing would have provided a rather amusing moment if it didn't demonstrate her complete lack of understanding of what will be effective in stopping the spread of Ebola and what will not.

It's funny.. Obama said the EXACT same thing about Ebola coming to the US.. He said it was "highly unlikely"...

I'm not sure you got your quote in context there. I think what Obama said was that an Ebola outbreak in the US would be highly unlikely.

And, that remains a valid assessment.

Ah, no..

AFRICA STEMS EBOLA VIA BORDER CLOSINGS, LUCK
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AF_EBOLA_AFRICA_CONTAINMENT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-10-16-14-24-38

Granted, aggressive tracking did help, but its' undeniable that closed borders prevented new cases from coming in..

You can have all the aggressive tracking possible, but if you have open borders introducing new cases, tracking won't mean diddley squat...

Michale

Ah, no. They beat back ebola by guaranteeing those effected and tracing all contacts. Both those countries borders are so porous, closing them is fairly meaningless and some have reopened once screening measures were ready. Senegal's "patient zero" came through closed borders by lying about his travel and point of origin, basically a text book example of why WHO/CDC are against travel bans...

It says we're more concerned about political correctness than American lives..

Senegal & Nigeria "beat back" Ebola because they closed their borders..

The Obama Administration shut down flights to Israel when a small mortar landed within 10 miles of Ben Gurion...

But the largest Ebola outbreak in the history of the world??

"Ya'all come on over!!!"

The only good thing about this October Crisis is that Democrats and Obama get the blame.. :D

Much like Republicans and Bush got the blame for Katrina...

Michale

It's funny that the close the borders, quarantine everyone hysteria seems to be coming mostly from the right. Those overly vocal and highly selective protectors of Christianity should really ask themselves what would Jesus do. The bible mentions tests of faith, well here is your test, baby. And it's a doozy!

On the other hand, the hysteria could have some positive effects. If it becomes seriously looked down on to come to work or school with any showing cold and flu symptoms we might just have the lightest cold and flu season in history...

Side note: Drudge tweeted "self-quarantine". Whether it was for ebola or twitter, who knows?

If there was a coffee mug emblazoned with it, I would buy it.

If a victim contaminates a house, hotel or vehicle, the lack of adequate advance preparation seems even worse.

Medical professionals are vital, but at this stage, sanitation engineers maybe more so. Off the shelf equipment, available and affordable. Don't over think it..."The second best solution tomorrow." I would look to the military first. Mobility, experience, and the ability to ramp up operations quickly.

That pretty much describes the government response to Ebola to a tee...

Michale

The fact is that, as far as humans are concerned, a virus has never mutated into a form that makes it an airborne disease. NEVER. The point being that while this may be possible it is highly unlikely.

It's funny.. Obama said the EXACT same thing about Ebola coming to the US.. He said it was "highly unlikely"...

The fact that we know so little about the transmission vectors of this current strain does not give me confidence in anything that comes from government sources..

JFC,

Just imagine how pleasant it would be if Republicans followed Drudge's advice and locked themselves in their houses and doomsday bunkers for the duration of the epidemic. The rest of us wouldn't have to deal with the old geezers on the highway and they wouldn't get a disease that they're not going to get anyway! Win-win. In addition, most of them* would be unable to get out and vote during their self-quarantine. That's the icing on Drudge's fruitcake.

You still haven't proven that Drudge said that. So anything you extrapolate from bullshit is still bullshit..

I think it's much more likely that Obama will suspend elections so as to minimize public gatherings..

There really won't be any reason to do so unless Ebola goes airborne..

But "reason" has never been a word associated with the Obama Administration, so.......

Michale

* Early voters and voters-by-mail could still vote and play Ebola Armageddon in the basement. Republicans should think about that.

That's the danger of diseases such as these. They can (and often do) mutate into something a LOT more dangerous..

The fact is that, as far as humans are concerned, a virus has never mutated into a form that makes it an airborne disease. NEVER. The point being that while this may be possible it is highly unlikely.

The Ebola issue is so fraught with mis-information and contradictory information that it makes sense that a little panic might be a good thing..

A perfect example is Obama saying that you can't get Ebola sitting next to someone on the bus, but the CDC says you shouldn't ride the bus because you might GIVE someone Ebola..

Get that??? You can't GET Ebola riding on the bus, but you can GIVE Ebola riding on the bus...

Yea, what's not to panic.... :^/

Michale

I know what you're saying and it IS a good point..

But if this were to be brought forward, do you know what the response would be??

"Oh my gods!!! DEMS/REPUBS or LEFT/RIGHT Wing media are politicizing this tragedy!!!"

That's why no one wants to mention it. Because, politically, it will do more harm than good..

But the good news is that Ebola does not have the worst transmission vector. It is not an airborne disease.

Yet....

That's the danger of diseases such as these. They can (and often do) mutate into something a LOT more dangerous..

I have no idea how long the panic on the airwaves is going to last. Sooner or later, the American public gets bored of any story, so sooner or later the blowdried news anchors are going to inevitably turn to some other story, or at the very least introduce a smidgeon of perspective to their reporting (by not leading the news each night when there are no new real developments, for instance).

Unless, the current strain goes airbone...

If/When that happens, then the current fear-laced media will look like a Sunday Sermon by comparison...

Liz,

Apparently, the depth and breadth of sarcasm and cynicism know no bounds in the comments section, these days.

:D

JFC,

Oh dear. Drudge recommends self-quarantine.

I highly doubt that...

LINKS, man!! LINKS!!!

Michale

It is becoming quite disconcerting ...