Bettie's Books

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Random House UK, Vintage Publishing. Bodley Head

Archive Date Nov 30 2014

"Then there was a new epidemic - fear."
- Dr Sam Okware

Description: EBOLA: unravelling the the mystery of one of the world's most deadly diseases

In 1976 a deadly virus emerged from the Congo forest. As swiftly as it came, it disappeared, leaving no trace.

Over the four decades since, Ebola has emerged sporadically, each time to devastating effect. It can kill up to 90% of its victims. In between these outbreaks, it is untraceable, hiding deep in the jungle. The search is on to find Ebola’s elusive host animal. And until we find it, Ebola will continue to strike.

Acclaimed science writer and explorer David Quammen first came near the virus whilst travelling in the jungles of Gabon, accompanied by local men whose village had been devastated by a recent outbreak. Here he tells the story of Ebola, its past, present and its unknowable future.

Opening: Along the Upper Invindo River in north-eastern Gabon, near the border of the Republic of the Congo, lies a small village called Mayibout 2, a sort of satellite settlement, just a mile upriver from its namesake, the village of Mayibout. In early February 1996, this secondary community was struck by a horrific and bewildering chain of events.

This is only 134 pages. Please could those who have read 'Spillover' let me know if this is lifted out of there, or does this contain further/other information.





Advisory notice from location 45/139:

'If your husband catches an ebolavirus, give him food and water and love and maybe prayers but keep your distance, wait patiently, hope for the best - and, if he dies, don't clean out his bowels by hand. Better to step back, blow a kiss, and burn the hut.

Some points worth noting:

1) This is so up to date that we even have the Emory University Hospital inclusion.
2) There is general dissing of 'The Hot Zone' by Richard Preston as being embroidered sensationalism.
3) The outbreaks are not dealt with in a linear fashion. That opening paragraph details the second outbreak.
4) Fruit bats carry ebola anibodies. No live virus has been found in a bat yet, however The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO) said on Monday (13th Oct) that there should be improved awareness among rural communities in West Africa about the risks of contracting the Ebola virus from eating certain wildlife species.

Why do Bats Transmit so many Diseases like Ebola?

3* The Reluctant Mr Darwin
4* Ebola