I PREDICTED EBOLA IN THE UNITED STATES-AND  IT'S NOW HERE

THE KUHNS REPORT

LAS VEGAS - Hello America, and how is the world treating you?

As I predicted, the Ebola is let loose on America. When the U.S. brought back the Ebola infected doctor for treatment weeks ago I said that it was a stupid move and  would be the beginning of the end, allowing the Ebola to get a strong foothold in the United States. Folks, my prediction came to pass. Since the first Ebola infected doctor, there have been several others brought back to the USA, courtesy of  our government. I also predicted that some ignorant or incompetent health care worker would allow the Ebola to escape notice - - that happened.

Just the other day an infected man FINALLY identified as Thomas Eric Duncan was treated at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. Believe it or not this  man carrying the deadly disease was sent home with antibiotics by, you guessed it - - an incompetent nurse, who even knew the man came in from Liberia, the place where thousands died from Ebola. However, the nurse still ignored the situation.  Then, he was readmitted and it was discovered Duncan  contracted Ebola. Currently it is estimated that Duncan came into contact with more than ONE HUNDRED people outside and inside the hospital. What does an official from the hospital say?  Mark Lester said: " Regretfully, the information wasn't communicated throughout the full team." REGRETFULLY? Come on! Other officials at the hospital said: "WE DROPPED THE BALL." Really? And, this was a hospital, like many others who said they trained for the event of accepting an Ebola infected patient. The hospital was supposed to have strict protocols in place and trained staff  were to be on the ready. Wow!

Ebola's generally take 21 days for its symptoms to appear and with that in mind I say that an extremely high vigilance is required when caring for patients with the disease. I also maintain that even the "smallest" lapse in infection control will allow the accidental spread of the virus to health staff. For example: a nurse or health care worker touching their face and or eyes with gloved hands that came into contact with an Ebola victim can  clearly contract the virus. In the  first case in the U.S., Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital failed miserably and that should be a wake up call for the government to set down a specific protocol that every hospital and health care worker in the country has to follow. This idea of each hospital setting their own guidelines is unacceptable.

News Flash! People. The U.S. Health officials said the country's  health care system was well prepared to contain any spread of Ebola. Who are they kidding, folks? Even the CDC officials tell the public that there is nothing to worry about - -they have it under control. What? This is the agency that had events mishandling  small pox and anthrax.  That certainly doesn't give me great confidence in believing what the CDC says.

As I am writing this the radio news  just reported that a FOURTH AMERICAN has come down with Ebola. He is a 33- year -old photo journalist employed by one of the major networks. However, the U.S. is again bringing the infected person back on American soil. I am totally against this procedure. I have always said the infected people should be treated outside of the United States.  Why? For one, there are quite a number of mobile units  equipped and manned by professional health care providers from the United States that are capable of treating the Ebola patient in the countries where the disease is centered. Now, we have still another case reported in Washington, D.C., where they suspect Ebola. And it has been reported that the former Ebola patient Dr. Richard Sacra who was treated at an Omaha, Nebraska hospital for weeks and cleared by the CDC has again been readmitted to  UMass Memorial Medical Center for upper respiratory problems. Can you see the effect of bringing the Ebola  patients to America for treatment? It clearly appears there is poor screening of persons coming in from Liberia and Nigeria, Guinea, Sierra Leone and West Africa. And that poor screening seems to pour over here in the U.S.  Is it time to halt flights from those countries? It's a thought.

Should the Ebola patients be identified? My view is that the U.S. Government should identify, by name, age, gender  and address each Ebola patient. I submit that the general public has the " right to know" who they may come in contact with, for their own protection. The general public should have the choice of choosing who they associate with. Full disclosure, transparency is the watch word. Not secrecy. I say when the government, the CDC and other health facilities cloak the identity of Ebola patients they are knowingly putting the public at risk. As a note, just today, the health District an officials in Dallas moved Mr. Duncan to an UNDISCLOSED LOCATION.  That's wrong. Tell Americans where the guy is.

The question of suspending flights to and from afflicted countries should also be addressed. A possible visa ban on travelers from those countries should be considered.  When Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the  National  and Infectious  Diseases was asked  about the travel bans he quickly and abruptly said: "absolutely not." His reasoning: He said- " When you start closing off countries like that, there is a real danger of making things worse." He went on to say:  " You can cause unrest in the country." "It's conceivable  that governments could fall if you just isolate them completely."

I disagree with Fauci. His logic is silly. Nations and countries will FALL because of a travel ban? Ridiculous? Here's my take on travel bans. They  should be imposed. Why? because NO ONE is closing off any country completely as Fauci's scare tactics imply. On the contrary we are treating people in those countries. Come on!  It's  just a travel ban. His idea of  a visa ban causing unrest in the country is also overblown. Another scare tactic. These countries already  have unrest and wars raging as well as  having thousands of cases of Ebola present. It is nothing but prudent and common sense to impose a visa ban. Considering Ebola is a is disease which is "lethal" NINETY (90%) of the time, action is needed - -not words and posturing.

Already the United States is in those countries fighting the Ebola virus and president  Obama, just within ht last 24 hours said he will  send money and heath care workers to those countries to combat Ebola, at the source, in those countries where it is active. These actions will only encourage the people in those countries to be treated by American doctors and health care workers.

I think people like Dr. Fauci , Dr. Tom Frieden, Director of the CDC, and officials of the government want to play the political correct game by saying it's okay to allow  possible afflicted  people with a  deadly disease to freely come and go in America.  My view,  it is nothing  but good simple logic to want to protect our borders and the  public health of all Americans. I don't believe it is alright to allow  any possible infected people with a deadly disease to come and go as they see fit.  Infected patient Duncan is a poster child for visa bans and flight restrictions. This guy "knowingly" LIED to cover his illness so he could fly around the globe and go about his business with a total disregard for other humans. And, it didn't stop there. His family in Dallas refused to comply with health officials  requests to stay home. It took guard to enforce that request and order.

It  seems very easy for these official types to play Russian Roulette with the lives of American citizens. But I would offer that since we have   numerous health professionals on the ground (boots on the ground, so to speak) in  those countries, the first priority by our government should be to protect American citizens and that is by suspended flights and visa bans. Would any of us, including Dr.,Fauci, president Obama , Dr. Frieden and all of these political correct nanny's  let someone into their house who they knew had a disease which could decimate their entire family?  I think not. And, allowing possible  infected people from their home (THEIR COUNTRY of ORIGIN) into our home (AMERICA) is ludicrous. Side note: Where the hell is congress? They should be imposing flight suspensions and travel visa bans as we speak.

Do you really think that the government and/or health officials would take responsibility if you or your family members contracted Ebola from coming in contact with this man or any other infected Ebola person? The answer is, "NO."  They are in all likelihood using the excuse of  "patient privacy" however, I would suggest it is a matter of public health and public protection." There is no real reason to cover up. They should pin point who has Ebola and where those people are located. Officials are always first to say they are looking out for "all" of us and " it's in the interest of public health"  (i.e), smoking, drinking, what foods and drinks we can consume, etc. ( a nanny government) but when it comes to deadly diseases like Ebola, AIDS/HIV and others they quickly say they are "protecting the patient."  Ebola is one of the  "deadliest" diseases known to medicine but  simple protocols and safe guards are ignored or over looked by  health care workers here in the USA. Go figure.

The CDC and government officials continue to say that there is nothing to be alarmed about when it comes to Ebola but based on their track record I think there is quite a bit to be worried about. Also, if you notice, any reports in the news media (newspapers, Internet, radio, television, etc.), the officials are always telling the public there is nothing to fear, they have it under control . What else would they, or could they say? They paint a "happy face" on all reports and sing the Kumbaya song.

Do you readers really believe that the government officials and agencies would tell you that they let a lethal, fatal disease loose on the public? It is only after the fact, when they get "caught" that they say they made an error. Thank God for the Press and journalists that go after the real stories.

Right now, relatives of Duncan, the infected Dallas Ebola patient are quarantined in their house with guards making sure they don't leave and come in contact with other people. I  give the health providers credit where credit is due and this was a good move. And, get this - - these relatives of Thomas Duncan DID NOT WANT TO COMPLY with the request to stay home. They refused to stay home. That was the reason for the guards. That goes to show you how people think and have no consideration for public health.  The relatives  could possibly be infected with the deadly disease but they wanted to go out among the public  anyway. The  officials need to "contact trace" meaning observing anyone who came in contact with Duncan for symptoms such as high fever and if symptoms occur the person has to be put in isolation. Yet, this family didn't want to cooperate with authorities. In fact, Mr. Duncan himself lied on an airport questionnaire in Liberia, because he said he HAD  not cared for an Ebola patient or touched anyone who had died from the disease, according to the Associated Press. That again proves my point that people who can and may carry a fatal, deadly disease which could decimate humanity will LIE to cover up. According to Liberian officials they intend to prosecute Duncan for his lies and cover-up. I  would agree with their decision.

Supposedly any people that comes in contact with an infected Ebola person is quarantined for three weeks, beginning on the last day they had that contact. I disagree with that policy. I think it is too short a time.

Also, fair to mention. What about the bed sheets, mattress, clothes, utensils, tooth brushes, towels, wash clothes etc. that an infected person may have used, before being hospitalized? I have no doubt that relatives of Duncan came in contact with those items. What is proper disposal? Who really knows what is proper disposal? As I stated before in an earlier article/blog I believe  such items should be incinerated, burned. Why? Because of body fluids of the infected patient.  Saliva, diarrhea, urine, vomit,  even sweat, can transfer the disease. That's scary, people. Good hygiene is often neglected by persons in the general population. For example, many actually use the  restroom and  continually fail to wash their hands before leaving the facility. I need not mention the thousands of studies that have shown feces, urine, vomit and other body fluids found on door knobs, restaurant menus, typewriters, computers, etc.... and the list goes on.

Folks, do you see how easy it was  to let this monster loose in America? The arrogance and know it all attitude of some in the health field and government never ceases to amaze me. When the decision was made to bring the first Ebola patient back to America we were told there is no way Ebola  would get loose. We were told that the patient would be treated at a very secure facility completely equipped to handle this one case. Now there are Ebola patients being treated throughout America at numerous heath care facilities. The chance of the fatal disease being multiplied is now out there.

People, I say, and predict again, like in Dallas, there will be a health care provider and/or worker who will make an error, miss the diagnosis, mishandle the case because of incompetence and allow the deadly disease to spread in to the general population.

Further, I say that all Ebola patients should be quarantined in a facility for  at least six months to a year because no matter how much these  medical/health people and agencies say they got it down, that their on top of it,  and that they know all about Ebola and they know how to treat it,  is a joke.

I maintain that there is quite a bit of unknowns that come  along with Ebola. Like AIDS/ HIV the health organizations and community are at a loss for a cure and ignorant to the possible of the long term  effects that may result down the road in these infected patients. The heath professionals that treated  the first few patients here in the United States and claimed victory and said those  infected people were CURED is living in a dream world.

Just a simple example,- A person gets Chicken Pox. That person is treated but a virus lays dormant in the persons system for years, even decades,  and then , one day, the person comes down with the painful and sometimes deadly Shingles. Another example could be likened to Arthritis, A person at a young age, even in their teens has Arthritis in their body . No one really knows why. However it lies dormant in the body and then,  years or decades later comes to the forefront, crippling the person. Folks, there are many diseases that afflict millions of people around the world that later manifest itself years or decades later.

Remember, CDC officials and  Mr. Lakey said: " Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital was one of the most sophisticated hospitals in America." They went on to say: "  They've done a lot of education related the the preparedness for Ebola. Lakey also said: " Unfortunately connections weren't made related to travel history and symptoms."  Again excuses after the fact. It appears everything is "UNFORTUNATE" when incompetence, errors and ignorance allows a killer disease loose on the public. I submit that if, indeed, this hospital was prepared the staff and administrators would not have allowed the man to leave the hospital with only antibiotics to treat a cold or flu. They would have clearly recognized the problem and treated it accordingly. They did not! They failed! Fact:  There was even  a FIVE DAY delay in any removal of soiled items and materials from the apartment Duncan was living even after he was hospitalized. I say that was still another official blunder. The word is  that Judge Clay Jenkins, Dallas County top Administrative official went to the apartment with two epidemiologists to apologize for the delay. Again, an incident " after-the-fact" that shows how willy-nilly Ebola is being handled. Apologizes and news bites with the media people to get face time is not what Americans need. We need action. Action speaks much louder than words.  That misstep allowed  relatives and family to be exposed to the disease.

People, it's actions such as these that prove my point of  how easy it is to have a total screw up by staff. So don't tell me that the CDC and the health care community has the Ebola disease under "control"  and can "assure" the public they can contain the virus like  Zachary Thompson, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services claims.

To substantiate my view and opinion I would like to say that Reuters news service claimed they interviewed nurses, some from Chicago who clearly say that:  we are not prepared for Ebola in America. The " Texas case is a perfect example," said Micker Samios, an emergency triage nurse at Medstar Washington Hospital Center, the largest hospital in the nations capital. It appears nurse Samios and other nurses agree with me that there was a flaw in diagnosis in addition to communication errors.

Here's some frightening figures:  A survey by  National Nurses United of 400  nurses in more than 200 hospitals in 25 states found that  SIXTY (60%) PERCENT said their hospital IS NOT prepared to handle patients with Ebola. EIGHTY-TWO (82%) said they were not trained to handle Ebola cases,they  didn't have the proper equipment such as gowns, masks and protective gear nor training in proper disposal and handling techniques of an infected patients contact materials. It's like Obama saying: "We under estimated" the conflict and battle in Iran and  Syria. I submit that government, CDC,  and health administrators are certainly under estimating this devastating, lethal disease.

So as I predicted early on: I said the Ebola disease would be released in the USA and  that prediction came to pass. Mark my words - -as long as the government and health officials continue to play the game of cover-up, non-disclosure and secrecy regarding Ebola patients this situation can and will only get worse. And, that's my opinion. Make your own decisions. You decide.

Bradley W. Kuhns, Ph.D., O.M.D.
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Dr, Kuhns can be reached by email at:
bradleykuhns@gmail.com