Thomas Eric Duncan, Dallas Ebola Patient, Now In Critical Condition.....Currently, there are about 50 people being monitored for Ebola in Texas

The Huffington Post | By Amanda L. Chan Email Posted: 10/04/2014 2:36 pm EDT 

Dallas Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan is now in critical condition, according to information released Saturday afternoon by Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, the hospital where he is staying.

America’s first Ebola patient has
been identified by Liberian officials as
Thomas Eric Duncan

Duncan had previously been listed as being in serious condition. He was admitted to the hospital Sept. 28. His diagnosis with Ebola was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control on Sept. 30.

Currently, there are about 50 people being monitored for Ebola after having known or possible contact with Duncan. Nine of these people had direct contact with Duncan, including his four relatives, with whom he was staying before he was sent to the hospital. The other 40 are being monitored for Ebola symptoms, but their contact with Duncan is less certain, health officials said today.

So far, none of the individuals being monitored by health officials are showing any signs of Ebola. more

IN JAMAICA: 9-Y-O Natahlia Miller Crowned Trelawny Spelling Bee Champion

Kerry-Ann Hepburn, Children's Own Coordinator Published: Saturday | October 4, 2014

Falmouth, Trelawny:

WHILE TOURISTS explored the 187-year-old William Knibb Memorial Baptist Church in Falmouth, Trelawny, 23 of the parish's top spellers lined up for spellmistress Marlene Stephenson Dalley at the church hall just a stone's throw away. With no defending champion, the race for the title of parish champion was wide open with a fresh cohort.

Spelling Bee champion for Trelawny, Natahlia Miller
of Hague Primary School.-Ian Allen/photographer

After a few rounds, the numbers had dwindled, leaving the final 10 to battle. With each round, the competition got harder to predict as it seemed that everyone was in it for the long haul.

The top five were decided after Theondra Hamilton of Clark's Town Primary dropped out. That's when the real battle started. Four rounds down and then there were three, and the champion boy, Jordan Nugent of Granville Primary, was announced, but sadly, left the competition soon after.

Toni-Ann Watson of Granville Primary and Natahlia Miller of Hague Primary were the Bees remaining. In the end, Natahlia, with quiet confidence, came through, when she spelt the word N-A-U-T-I-C-A-L.

In a true show of sportsmanship, the first thing Natahlia did was hug Toni-Ann, who was disappointed at not winning the title.

When asked about her win, nine-year-old Natahlia paused, then replied: "Words can't describe how I feel."

The precocious speller says she wasn't worried about winning going into the competition.

"I did my part and trusted that the Lord would do the rest," she told The Gleaner.

First-time coach Latoya Basco was pleased with the results.

"We started at the beginning of September, and I've asked for all their spare time, and Natahlia gave me that. She is always ready and willing to work," said Coach Basco. more

PRINCE EA - "Why I Think This World Should End" - Sorry if This Offends You.

Post by Prince Ea.

Black Genocide - Maafa 21 (Full Length Documentary)

Maafa 21: Black Genocide in 21st Century America is a 2009 pro-life documentary film which draws a connection between the targeting of African Americans by the eugenics movement in the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the modern-day prevalence of abortion among African Americans. The film argues that abortion is an attempted genocide or maafa of black people, and has been so since the 19th 

SPANISH TOWN, JAMAICA: A 14-year-old St Jago High School student, Azee Baker dies at Spanish Town Hospital after chikungunya virus (chik-v) symptoms, heart complications....Azee's last words "Him say to mi, 'Daddy, mi cyaan breathe', and mi bring him back to the hospital," Baker said. "The last thing he said to me was 'Daddy, mi waah vomit', and him vomit and then he said 'Daddy, mi a run outa breath'."

BY KIMBERLY WILSON Observer writer  Friday, October 03, 2014 

A 14-year-old St Jago High School student died at the Spanish Town Hospital on Wednesday from what his father said were complications triggered by the chikungunya virus.

The death of Azee Baker plunged the school community into gloom yesterday and raised more concern about the wait period at the hospital, as the Jamaica Observer was told that pleas for help by the boy's father, Abraham Baker, were ignored for some time until the boy collapsed.

"His father was calling out for help but nobody came to help," a hospital employee told the Observer last night. "Is after the boy collapsed that they came to help him. By then it was too late."

Abraham Baker said his son started exhibiting signs of illness on Wednesday, September 24, but managed to go to school up to Friday, September 26.

On Monday, September 29, he took Azee, his only child, to the hospital where he was seen and released with a prescription for Panadol. However, on Wednesday, October 1, the father had to take his son back to the hospital.

"Him say to mi, 'Daddy, mi cyaan breathe', and mi bring him back to the hospital," Baker said. "The last thing he said to me was 'Daddy, mi waah vomit', and him vomit and then he said 'Daddy, mi a run outa breath'."

"Mi deh right behind the screen a hol' him foot and dem pump breath inna him and him nuh come back," the grieving father said, breaking down into tears. more

Highlights of this day in history (OCT. 3rd): O.J. Simpson found not guilty of murder at his criminal trial; St. Francis of Assisi dies; Germany reunifies; Baseball's 'shot heard 'round the world'; 'Captain Kangaroo' and 'Mickey Mouse Club' hit TV. (Oct. 3)

IN JAMAICA: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce urges scholarship recipients to dream big....awards 8 academic scholarships through her Pocket Rocket Foundation

BY SHERDON COWAN  Friday, October 03, 2014  

JAMAICA'S queen of sprint Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce urged this year's recipients of academic scholarships through her Pocket Rocket Foundation to rise above difficult circumstances in order to excel and fulfil their dreams.

Olympian Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (centre) shares a moment
with recipients of academic scholarships from her Pocket Rocket
 Foundation (from left) Zinedine Russell (Convent of Mercy);
Okhalia Buchanan (Wolmer's); Nicholas Haughton (Campion
College); Janeek Brown (Wolmer's); Pierce-Matthew McKenzie
 (Campion College); Romae Quarrie (Campion College);
 Shadae Grant (St Jago) and Patrick Morgan (Jonathan Grant)
at a meet and greet at Sagicor's head office yesterday.

"Be persistent... persevere even when others think you are not going to make it, or when the challenge seems so overwhelming for most of you and you sit and wonder how are you going to get to the next level... just know it is possible. I am your testimony, standing right here, that it is possible and that is the reality that I want to give you," she said while addressing the meet-and-greet session at Sagicor's head office yesterday.

Fraser-Pryce declared to the recipients that she has travelled the same path in her life before she ascended to prominence, and encouraged them not to be "ashamed of their circumstances" but instead think about how to deal with [these circumstances], because that will lead ultimately to fulfilment.

"I want to give you the opportunity to not worry about the book, not to worry about uniform, not to worry about not having the basic things to survive. But what I want you to worry about is what you are going to do when you sit around that desk with that paper in front of you... I want you to think about your dreams; I want you to think about when you are going to do CXC or CAPE.

"I want you to think about athletics; I want you to think about the time that you are going on the track... whatever you do as a sport ,that is what I want you to think about. So you are building your dream and your life through education and your sport and you are combining both of them and giving yourself a chance to excel", added the double sprint champion. more

Ebola Help for JAMAICA: PAHO, CARICOM Pledge Assistance To Help Jamaica With Preparedness and readiness to deal with an Ebola outbreak, should the deadly virus pose a threat to the country.....World Health Organization revealing that, so far, more than 6,574 persons have been affected, and more than 3,091 have died from it. The worst affected countries are Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Anastasia Cunningham, Health Coordinator Published: Friday | October 3, 2014 

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and some CARICOM countries have committed to assist Jamaica in its preparedness and readiness to deal with an Ebola outbreak, should the deadly virus pose a threat to the country. This comes in light of the fact that the United States is now on high alert with its first confirmed Ebola case earlier this week and the tracing and isolation of persons the patient, Thomas Eric Duncan, is suspected to have come in contact with.

A pedestrian wears a surgical mask as he crosses the street
in front of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital yesterday
 morning, in Dallas, where Thomas Eric Duncan, the
 Ebola patient who traveled from Liberia to
Dallas last week, is being treated. AP

Among the commitments is to provide personal protection equipment (PPE) and gear for health-care workers. Special gear include gloves, masks, gowns or full-body suits, high boots and eye or face shields.

"PAHO has confirmed support for the provision of PPEs from its warehouse in Panama. If the need arises in Jamaica, items can be made available within 24 hours of notification of a case," acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Kevin Harvey, said in a statement yesterday.

TALKS WITH UNITED STATES

He said the Government was also in dialogue with the United States to provide additional PPEs.

Harvey said although Jamaica had available supplies, the ministry has fast-tracked the procurement of additional gear.

Yesterday, health officials expressed concern that Jamaica did not have adequate supply of PPEs and other gear to deal with an Ebola outbreak.

The deadly disease, which kills up to 90 per cent of its victims, is transmitted through direct contact with blood and body fluids of infected persons. During an outbreak, the disease can spread quickly in health-care facilities, hence the importance of quarantine areas and protective gear for health-care workers and those who have to care for infected persons. more

33-year-old NBC News Freelancer In Africa Diagnosed With Ebola....Four Americans have now contracted Ebola in Liberia, NBC notes.

The Huffington Post | By Andrew Hart Email 10/2/14

NBC News reported that one of its American freelancers working in Liberia has tested positive for Ebola, the network reported Thursday night.

The 33-year-old man was a freelance cameraman on NBC News' reporting team covering the Ebola epidemic in Monrovia, Liberia. The freelancer started showing symptoms on Wednesday, and was then found to have a fever. He immediately quarantined himself. On Thursday morning, he was tested by Medicins Sans Frontieres for the virus. A positive result came back hours later.

Four Americans have now contracted Ebola in Liberia, NBC notes.

The network has not released the name of the cameraman. He is to be flown back to the U.S. for treatment, according to NBC News President Deborah Turness. The rest of the NBC News crew that the diagnosed man was working with is being monitored, but were not showing signs of infection at the time. They are to be flown back to the U.S. as well, and will be placed under quarantine. Below is the full statement from Turness that was released Thursday evening. more

Dr. Evelyn Richardson to speak with Rula Brown about the Ebola Virus & Chikungunya (Chick-V)....History of the organisms, Transmission, Symptoms, prevention, treatment, affects in JAMAICA, Govt. readiness @ www.RulaBrownNetwork.com at 10:30am ET on 10/3/14

The first locally acquired case of chikungunya, a mosquito-borne disease, was reported July 17 in Florida. This newly reported case represents the first time that mosquitoes in the continental United States are thought to have spread the virus to a non-traveler. Although CDC does not expect widespread cases of chikungunya in the United States this summer, American travelers infected overseas may continue to return and bring the virus with them.

• Chikungunya virus is transmitted to people by two species of mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Both species are found in the southeastern United States and limited parts of the Southwest; Aedes albopictusis also found further north up the East Coast, through the Mid-Atlantic States, and is also found in the lower Midwest.
• People infected with chikungunya virus typically develop fever and joint pain. Other symptoms can include muscle aches, headaches, joint swelling or rash. This virus is not spread person to person. There is no vaccine and no specific treatment for infection.
• The best way to protect yourself and your family from chikungunya is to prevent being bitten by mosquitoes by using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants, using air conditioning or window/door screens to keep mosquitoes outside, and reducing mosquito breeding ground such as standing water. more

WAYNE J- ORIGINAL SONG "One Panadol" TELLS CHIK-V STORY (Most Popular Out of JAMAICA about killer Chikungunya Virus.

Post by Bring Back Our JAMAICA, #BBOJ.

WAYNE J- ORIGINAL SONG, TELLS CHIKV STORY (Most Popular Out of JAMAICA about killer Chikungunya Virus. -- Using a song out of Jamaica, Magnetic Media has put together the web's most popular images, video and warnings regarding the now, killer Chikungunya Virus.

The illness was first recorded in the Caribbean last November, and many believe original recordings like these will continue to heighten awareness for a stop on the spread of Chik V and other mosquito borne illnesses.

BREAKING NEWS EBOLA: Did officials lied again?.....Health Officials Say Up To 100 People May Have Been Exposed To Texas Ebola Patient....The disease has killed at least 3,338 people in West Africa in the worst such outbreak on record....My question is could terrorist start to spread the virus here in America?

DALLAS, Oct 2 (Reuters) - HuffingtonPost

Up to 100 people may have had direct or indirect contact with the first person to be diagnosed with the deadly Ebola virus in the United States, and four of his relatives have been quarantined in their homes as a precaution, health officials said Thursday.

Ebola Virus

Dallas County officials said 12 to 18 people had direct contact with the Texas patient, and they in turn had contact with scores of others. Officials said none of those thought to have had direct or indirect contact with the patient, who was being treated at a Dallas hospital, were showing symptoms of Ebola. The disease has killed at least 3,338 people in West Africa in the worst such outbreak on record.

A top health official urged U.S. hospitals to heed lessons from Dallas, where the hospital initially sent the ailing patient home, despite information that he had recently visited West Africa, potentially exposing more people to the virus.

America’s first Ebola patient has
been identified by Liberian officials as
Thomas Eric Duncan, a
resident of Monrovia.

U.S. officials initially described the number of people potentially exposed as a handful, and on Wednesday said it was up to 18.

But on Thursday, the Texas health department said there were about 100 potential contacts. However, Dallas County officials said more than 80 had direct or indirect contact with the patient.

"We are working from a list of about 100 potential or possible contacts," Texas health department spokeswoman Carrie Williams said.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we're starting with this very wide net, including people who have had even brief encounters with the patient or the patient's home. The number will drop as we focus in on those whose contact may represent a potential risk of infection."

Ebola Virus

Texas health officials told four "close" relatives of the patient not to entertain visitors and said they could be arrested if they left their homes without permission through Oct. 19. The four did not exhibit symptoms, they said.

"We have tried-and-true protocols to protect the public and stop the spread of this disease," said Dr. David Lakey, the Texas health commissioner. more

Today in History for October 2nd....Mohandes Gandhi born; President Woodrow Wilson suffers stroke; Thurgood Marshall sworn in as US Supreme Court justice; Rock Hudson dies

Highlights of this day in history: Mohandes Gandhi born; President Woodrow Wilson suffers stroke; Thurgood Marshall sworn in as US Supreme Court justice; Rock Hudson dies; Peanuts comic strip debut. (Oct. 2)

Highlights of the day in history - a retrospective view on political events, historic battles, and life changing decisions. More:http://smarturl.it/TodayInHistory

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Today, AP employs the latest technology to collect and distribute content - we have daily uploads covering the latest and breaking news in the world of politics, sport and entertainment. Join us in a conversation about world events, the newsgathering process or whatever aspect of the news universe you find interesting or important.

Ebola Panic in JAMAICA: Local Doctors Say They Are Not Equipped To Handle Deadly Virus....If the Ebola virus should reach Jamaica, doctors at the nation's hospitals, particularly the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), do not have the safety gear needed to treat affected persons

Corey Robinson, Staff Reporter Published: Thursday | October 2, 2014

If the Ebola virus should reach Jamaica, doctors at the nation's hospitals, particularly the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), do not have the safety gear needed to treat affected persons, and some say they will not expose themselves or their charges by treating Ebola patients.

Nine-year-old Nowa Paye is taken to an ambulance
after showing signs of the Ebola infection in the
 village of Freeman Reserve, Liberia, on Tuesday.
Aid donations are still inadequate, as the international
 community tries to increase the ability to care
 for the spiraling number of people infected with
 the disease which has hit Liberia the hardest.
AP Photo

A workshop put on yesterday, in light of the outbreak in Africa, erupted in concerns after it was disclosed that health officials in Jamaica do not have the requisite hazard-management gear, or even the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved personal protection equipment (PPE) to deal with the Ebola virus. Only standard PPE gear, consisting of a regular fabric medical gown, goggles, and N95 or N100 oxygen masks are available, and these are useless against the disease, the forum of medical doctors, firefighters and other emergency-response workers were told. The N95 can only last for four hours, according to doctors, while the N100 for 24 hours.

"If the Government doesn't supply us with these things, who is going out towork?" asked one doctor from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the UHWI, sparking murmurs among the gathering.

The doctor hinted at the possibility of an outbreak, suggesting that there are students from countries affected by the virus currently at the University of the West Indies, and frowned on the Government's lacklustre approach in preparing for the disease, which has presented itself in the United States. more

IN JAMAICA: Death on hospital floor....Mother, sister of Jason Forbes blame hospital for man’s death..... “Mi belly ah hurt mi, unnu help mi nuh, unnu a guh mek mi dead,”

 BY ANIKA RICHARDS Observer staff reporter richardsai@jamaicaobserver.com  Thursday, October 02, 2014    

JASON Forbes seemingly foresaw his death while lying on the floor of the Spanish Town Hospital Tuesday night, complaining about a pain in his stomach and pleading for assistance from health care workers.

When his name was eventually called on Wednesday morning and a security guard lifted him from the floor onto a wheelchair, he was dead.

Jason Forbes died at Spanish Town Hospital

“Mi belly ah hurt mi, unnu help mi nuh, unnu a guh mek mi dead,” Forbes, the father of a 13-year-old daughter, pleaded on Tuesday night, according to his sister Carmen Gunn.

His 76-year-old mother, who spent the night at the Spanish Town Hospital with Forbes waiting for him to be attended to, also tried to get some assistance for him, but was repeatedly told to sit down.

Gunn told the Jamaica Observer yesterday that, after getting to the hospital, some time after 7:00 pm, her mother was told to get Forbes registered, which she did. Gunn said that after her mother registered Forbes they sent her back out with him.

But he kept on crying, and her mother, who had suffered a stroke, said: “‘Listen, I have a stroke and my son is out there dying with his stomach, somebody need to tend to him’,” Gunn said.

“The lady who was at the desk said to her, ‘Mother, go and sit down; many persons are here’.

“So my mother turn to her and said, ‘Listen, many out here, but none dying. My son is dying’,” the obviously distraught sister told the Observer.

On Tuesday he complained about feeling a pain in his stomach and was taken to the hospital that evening. Gunn said that her mother was there with her brother, who was lying on a towel on the hospital’s floor because there was no bed or chair available, until about 9:10 yesterday morning when his name was called. more

TRELAWNY, JAMAICA: Missing 13 y-o Trelawny student, Aliesha Brown found dead.... whose face appeared to be bashed in, was found partially covered by a car bumper....Aliesha's distraught, weeping mother, Stacy Douglas, could not contain her grief and had to be consoled by relatives. "Mek me go look! Me want see me pickney!" she wailed.

BY HORACE HINES Observer staff reporter hinesh@jamaicaobserver.com  Thursday, October 02, 2014   

STEWART CASTLE, Trelawny — 

Blood-curdling screams reverberated throughout an isolated section of this community after a member of a search party discovered the body of a 13-year-old girl who went missing after leaving home for school on Monday morning.

Mourners and Aliesha Brown, affectionately
called 'Miss Chin'

The body of Aliesha Brown, affectionately called 'Miss Chin', was found clad in her maroon and white Muschett High School uniform, covered with a black motorcar bumper in bushes near the ruins of the Stewart Castle Great House.

The grade eight student, left her home in Refuge district in the parish, early Monday morning to be on time for the morning shift at her school in Wakefield about 14 miles away.

But she did not arrive. When the teen did not return home at the usual time, her mother became worried and made contact with the school but was told her daughter had been absent from classes for the day.

A large search party, consisting of relatives and members of the community, unsuccessfully scoured the bushy areas of the community late into Monday night.

Their fears intensified after the search throughout the entire Tuesday also ended in futility.

But, yesterday their worst fears were realised after they launched out of their community and headed for Stewart Castle, which is separated by the Duncans to Falmouth main road.

A member of the search party Anthony Loney said early yesterday afternoon after searching through the remains of an old great house, some of the searchers decided to rest, but he ventured further along the isolated road and was alerted by the buzzing of flies.

Upon closer inspection the body of the teenaged student, whose face appeared to be bashed in, was found partially covered by a car bumper.

"Ah from morning we a search, everybody come together and say them ago come a Stewart Castle to search. Five of us came here and searched the big house and we never find her so them say them a go rest and me say alright me a go walk and by the time me walk go over there I saw the black container and when I peeped over I saw a lot of flies so I had to run," Loney told the Jamaica Observer.

Shortly after, several mourning onlookers gathered along the dirt road in the rustic Stewart Castle community, near where the body was found. more

Michael Dunn Found Guilty Of First-Degree Murder In Killing Of Jordan Davis.... loud-music trial

Jacksonville, Florida (CNN) --The Huffington Post

Jurors found Michael Dunn guilty of first-degree murder Wednesday in the 2012 shooting death 17-year-old Jordan Davis.

Dunn's parents were in the courtroom for the verdict. Davis' parents, Ron Davis and Lucia MacBath, both let out a quiet gasp upon hearing the jury forewoman's words and then hung their heads and cried. Dunn did not appear to have an immediate reaction, but later, he turned around and somberly shook his head toward his father.

Duval County Judge Russell Healey set a tentative sentencing hearing for October 17 but said he would wait until Tuesday to ensure the date worked for Dunn's defense attorneys.

"This has been going on for two years, and everyone has acted graciously. I ask that you continue to do that," Healey said before the verdict was read. "Remember, we must respect the verdict of the jury. They did not volunteer to do this." more

THE RACE TO TRACE : Texas Ebola Patient Was In Contact With Children... At Least 12 To 18 People... Identified As Liberian Native... Vomited On Way To Hospital... REPORT: Hospital Made Huge Error In Diagnosis...

DALLAS , Texas (AP) — 

The first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States told health care workers on his initial hospital visit that he had recently been in an area affected by the deadly disease, but that information was not widely shared, a hospital official said Wednesday.

Thomas Eric Duncan went to a Dallas emergency room Friday and explained that he was visiting the U.S. from Liberia. He was sent home with antibiotics, according to his sister, Mai Wureh.

A man walks up the stairway leading to the Texas Health
 Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014.
 | ASSOCIATED PRESS

He returned two days later, after his condition worsened, and was admitted to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Mark Lester, who works for the hospital's parent company, said a nurse had asked Duncan whether he had been in any part of West Africa, where Ebola has killed thousands. But that "information was not fully communicated throughout the whole team."

A day after the man's diagnosis was confirmed, a nine-member team of federal health officials was tracking anyone who had close contact with him.

The team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was in Dallas to work with local and state health agencies to ensure that those people are watched every day for 21 days.

"If anyone develops fever, we'll immediately isolate them to stop the chain of transmission," Dr. Tom Frieden, the CDC director, said in an interview.

Duncan has been kept in isolation at the hospital since Sunday. He was listed in serious but stable condition.

Ebola is believed to have sickened more than 6,500 people in West Africa, and more than 3,000 deaths have been linked to the disease, according to the World Health Organization.

Officials are monitoring 12 to 18 people who may have been exposed to the man, including three members of the ambulance crew that transported him to the hospital and five schoolchildren.

Some of the people are members of his family, but not all, Dallas city spokeswoman Sana Syed said. more

EBOLA VIRUS INFECTION - What you should know! High fever, Headache, Joint and muscle aches, Sore throat, Weakness, Stomach pain, Lack of appetite

Wednesday, October 01, 2014 | 2:11 AM    

OBSERVER ONLINE today begins its national campaign of informing our readers on the deadly Ebola Virus and the Chikungunya virus. The aim of the Jamaica Observer through these articles and graphics is to inform, and hopefully to have Jamaicans become more aware of Ebola and Chikungunya so that the necessary steps can be taken to deal with these ailments. We begin the series with a look at Ebola. Please take the time to read and to view the graphics posted with today's article. With every good wish - Editor

WHAT IS EBOLA?

Ebola is a rare but deadly virus that causes bleeding inside and outside the body.

As the virus spreads through the body, it damages the immune system and organs. Ultimately, it causes levels of blood-clotting cells to drop. This leads to severe, uncontrollable bleeding.

HOW DO YOUN GET EBOLA?

Ebola isn’t as contagious as more common viruses like colds, influenza, or measles. It spreads to people by contact with the skin or bodily fluids of an infected animal, like a monkey, chimp, or fruit bat. Then it moves from person to person the same way. Those who care for a sick person or bury someone who has died from the disease often get it.

Other ways to get Ebola include touching contaminated needles or surfaces. 

You can’t get Ebola from air, water, or food. A person who has Ebola but has no symptoms can’t spread the disease, either.

What Are the Symptoms of Ebola?

Early on, Ebola can feel like the flu or other illnesses. Symptoms show up 2 to 21 days after infection and usually include:

High fever

Headache

Joint and muscle aches

Sore throat

Weakness

Stomach pain

Lack of appetite

As the disease gets worse, it causes bleeding inside the body, as well as from the eyes, ears, and nose.  Some people will vomit or cough up blood, have bloody diarrhea, and get a rash.

How Is Ebola Diagnosed?

Sometimes it's hard to tell if a person has Ebola from the symptoms alone. Doctors may test to rule out other diseases like cholera or malaria.<

Tests of blood and tissues also can diagnose Ebola.

If you have Ebola, you’ll be isolated from the public immediately to prevent the spread.       more

IN JAMAICA: Cabinet Approves Changes To Ganja Law.... Justice Minister Mark Golding announced that among the amendments to the act that Cabinet has approved are provisions for permits to cultivate, possess, import, export, transport, manufacture, sell, and distribute ganja for medical and scientific purposes under licence.

Published: Wednesday | October 1, 2014

Accepting that aspects of the Dangerous Drugs Act prohibit Jamaica from enjoying the economic benefits of medical marijuana and industrial hemp, the Government has made a number of changes to the act.

Ganja plant

Speaking yesterday at a press briefing at Jamaica House, Justice Minister Mark Golding announced that among the amendments to the act that Cabinet has approved are provisions for permits to cultivate, possess, import, export, transport, manufacture, sell, and distribute ganja for medical and scientific purposes under licence.

"While the Dangerous Drugs Act and its regulations and the Food and Drug Regulations, 1975, provide a regime for the use of extracts, tinctures, or preparations made from cannabis, the prohibitions of the Dangerous Drugs Act make any dealing with the ganja plant itself illegal, without exception, and, therefore, do not allow locally grown cannabis plants to be used to produce extracts, tinctures, or preparations for medical, scientific, or any other purpose," he said.

Justice minister Mark Golding

Stating that the terms of the proposed licence are to be determined, Golding said, "We need to now flesh out the specifics of the licence and framework to go hand-in-hand once the amendments have been approved and implemented."

A licensing authority is to be established to govern the licensing processes for participation in the medicinal ganja industry. more