WHO: Ebola incubation period is 42 days, not 21 days

The safest incubation period for Ebola is not 21 days, it’s double that, a total of 42 days before an all clear should be given on any Ebola virus outbreak. On October 14, 2014 a World Health Organization (WHO) publication stated as much and more.

According to the publication on the WHO website, there are no 100 percent safety margins; however, “Recent studies conducted in West Africa have demonstrated that 95 percent of confirmed cases have an incubation period in the range of one to 21 days; 98 percent have an incubation period that falls within the one to 42 day interval.” The safest incubation period, therefore, according to the percentages provided by WHO is 42 days to find out if an exposed person will get Ebola.

In addition WHO expressed grave concerns that so many countries were too quick to pronounce a potential victim of Ebola virus-free, sometimes in a matter of hours, stating “rapid determination of infection status is impossible.” The publication expressed “alarm” as well as “grave doubts” regarding the “official information” provided to the public and the media it considered erroneously put out by public health leaders of countries who have recent first cases of Ebola.

WHO also went on to state that all health care workers, even cleaners who had entered an Ebola patient area, should be monitored from the time of their last contact with an Ebola patient, even those who were protected with full body suits, before an outbreak could be declared “over” in any country. The source of the study upon which WHO based this new information was unidentified.

A statement made by the United States Center of Disease Control (CDC) head and spokesperson, Tom Frieden, seems to highlight the concerns expressed by WHO that top officials may be the source of misinformation. Frieden tweeted, “Once we find contacts we take temps and ask about symptoms. 2x/day for 21 days after exposure longest it can take for #Ebola to appear #CDCchat.” According to the WHO study cited, if that study is valid, 21 days is not the longest amount of time it can take for Ebola to emerge.

Schools in Texas and Ohio were reported today by the USA Today to have closed until disinfected following news that the CDC approved the flight back to Dallas of a second nurse to exhibit signs of the dread fever, the first being Nina Pham, both now confirmed to be Ebola positive. Concerns that either some of their students or staff were exposed to the nurse, Amber Vinson, during her travel, has prompted the extra precautions. All contacts on those planes who are considered at risk will be monitored for 21 days, a time period publicized as safe by the CDC.

The post WHO: Ebola incubation period is 42 days, not 21 days appeared first on News JX Health.

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