Posted on 10/14/2014 6:48:29 AM PDT by walford
The potential spread of Ebola into Central and Southern America is a real possibility, the commander of U.S. Southern Command told an audience at the National Defense University here yesterday.
“By the end of the year, there’s supposed to be 1.4 million people infected with Ebola and 62 percent of them dying, according to the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention],” Marine Corps Gen. John F. Kelly said. “That’s horrific. And there is no way we can keep Ebola [contained] in West Africa.”
If it comes to the Western Hemisphere, many countries have little ability to deal with an outbreak of the disease, the general said.
“So, much like West Africa, it will rage for a period of time,” Kelly said.
This is a particularly possible scenario if the disease gets to Haiti or Central America, he said. If the disease gets to countries like Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador, it will cause a panic and people will flee the region, the general said.
“If it breaks out, it’s literally, ‘Katie bar the door,’ and there will be mass migration into the United States,” Kelly said. “They will run away from Ebola, or if they suspect they are infected, they will try to get to the United States for treatment.”
Also, transnational criminal networks smuggle people and those people can be carrying Ebola, the general said. Kelly spoke of visiting the border of Costa Rica and Nicaragua with U.S. embassy personnel. At that time, a group of men “were waiting in line to pass into Nicaragua and then on their way north,” he recalled.
“The embassy person walked over and asked who they were and they told him they were from Liberia and they had been on the road about a week,” Kelly continued. “They met up with the network in Trinidad and now they were on their way to the United States -- illegally, of course.”
Those men, he said, “could have made it to New York City and still be within the incubation period for Ebola.”
Kelly said his command is in close contact with U.S. Africa Command to see what works and what does not as it prepares for a possible outbreak in the area of operations.
“After Hazelton Research Products sent them the samples, the Army took over the lab, killed the monkeys and sterilized the building.”
It’s called closing the barn door after the horse got out. Weaponization is not necessary to precipitate a significant Ebola outbreak in this country. Political considerations and incompetence will do the job nicely.
*possibly INFECTED patient
Who sent him to Fairfax, and what source are you using?
Who sent him to Fairfax, and what source are you using?
No, don’t tell me to google for sources to support your claims, just direct me to the sources that you found it in.
fer later
Assuming that book is correct, the Army opposed it didn’t they?
The point is, the government has a poor track record with regard to dealing with pathogens and properly informing the public. Political concerns come first.
There is no doubt in my mind that nothing of substance will be done until there is a sufficient number of deaths.
I haven’t seen the part that supports your condemnation of the Army yet.
This is a freaking message board discussion, not a research paper. Believe what you want.
Thanks for the ping!
You’re Welcome, Alamo-Girl!
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