More lethal Ebolas, so far have failed to produce pandemics, it is believed, because of the sheer speed at which they incapacitate and kill.

Maybe a prior infection with E. Reston could impart some, but incomplete measure of immunity against the deadlier Ebolas. If this were to happen then deadlier forms of Ebola could travel into large urban centres, other countries and who knows? maybe airborne infection might become enabled.

This is all very hypothetical, but my other immediate concern over the Ebola issue relates to Australia, my country of residence.

In Australia we have an organisation called “Biosecurity” which seems dilligently intent on destroying food and fruit production inside Australia by importing all sorts from abroad. Recently Biosecurity gave the “Greenlight” for the importation of bananas from the Philllipines … although Australia has its own very active banana industry.

Today I “Googled” Ebola-Reston, Pigs, Phillipines, any language, over the past week and found a total of 1,364 entries. Guess how many from Australia? … only one (1).

Does the Australian Biosecurity want to keep under wraps that fact that its proposed banana supplier, the Phillipines, has Ebola Reston that could end up in Australia via pigs or by ride hitching, Fruit Bats (suspected to be the disease’s natural reservoir)?

Australian fruit growers generally regard the word “Biosecurity” as an oxymoron and a pestilence in its own right. Highlighting this latest Ebola news would only compound this perception. Is this yet another “embarassment” and the reason why we ain’t getting much Australian media exposure on the Phillipine Ebola?

Mike Vickery