New Steven Dunbar book, MIASMA
New Steven Dunbar Book, MIASMA
As my new Steven Dunbar book, MIASMA, nears completion, I feel the need to share some of the angst it has brought me – and it’s not over yet.
In May of 2018, an epidemic of Ebola virus disease broke out in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa – the ninth such epidemic this country has suffered since 1976. Why so many? The official answer puts the blame on diet – the natural host of this disease is thought to be fruit bats which feature prominently in a ‘bush meat’ diet along with creatures they may have bitten and infected.
Call me picky, but armed with this knowledge, I can’t see me snacking on ‘bush meat’ that hasn’t seen the inside of a blast furnace for a week, but thinking along these lines led me to consider alternative explanations for the outbreaks. As both a scientist and a thriller writer, I am used to fact and fiction colliding in my mind and having to put ideas through various tests – the major question being . . . However horrifying and improbable this idea may be . . . is it possible?
One such fictional nightmare passed this test to become the basis for MIASMA.
As I approach the end of the book, the tenth Ebola outbreak – announced on August 1st 2018, one week after the end of the ninth – is raging.
More than 1200 people have gone down with the disease and over 750 have died. 87 medical and nursing staff have become infected and thirty-one have died. This already makes it the second worst recorded Ebola outbreak ever and there are no signs of it settling for second place.
More news soon.
Update May 4th, 2019
MIASMA will be published on May 22nd as an Amazon Kindle e-book and as a large-format paperback.
The latest figures I have from the DRC Ebola outbreak (May 1st) are 1510 cases, 994 deaths. As yet, no restrictions have been placed on international travel to and from DRC.
Update May 18th 2019
Figures from May 15th. 1760 cases, 1161 deaths. Still no restrictions on international travel, but WHO have revised their vaccination schedule - they are reducing the dose per patient; this suggests they are running short of vaccine. They also claim they are short of money. Why am I thinking about Notre Dame? . . . funny old world.
Update 26th May 2019
1920 cases, 1281 deaths. Over 100 aid workers have gone down with the disease. The outbreak is now the second worst Ebola outbreak ever and is a long way from being under control. Neighbouring countries are being urged to remain vigilant. No international travel restrictions . . . maybe this is because there is no licensed vaccine available and therefore certificates of vaccination cannot be used to implement restrictions?
As my new Steven Dunbar book, MIASMA, nears completion, I feel the need to share some of the angst it has brought me – and it’s not over yet.
In May of 2018, an epidemic of Ebola virus disease broke out in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa – the ninth such epidemic this country has suffered since 1976. Why so many? The official answer puts the blame on diet – the natural host of this disease is thought to be fruit bats which feature prominently in a ‘bush meat’ diet along with creatures they may have bitten and infected.
Call me picky, but armed with this knowledge, I can’t see me snacking on ‘bush meat’ that hasn’t seen the inside of a blast furnace for a week, but thinking along these lines led me to consider alternative explanations for the outbreaks. As both a scientist and a thriller writer, I am used to fact and fiction colliding in my mind and having to put ideas through various tests – the major question being . . . However horrifying and improbable this idea may be . . . is it possible?
One such fictional nightmare passed this test to become the basis for MIASMA.
As I approach the end of the book, the tenth Ebola outbreak – announced on August 1st 2018, one week after the end of the ninth – is raging.
More than 1200 people have gone down with the disease and over 750 have died. 87 medical and nursing staff have become infected and thirty-one have died. This already makes it the second worst recorded Ebola outbreak ever and there are no signs of it settling for second place.
More news soon.
Update May 4th, 2019
MIASMA will be published on May 22nd as an Amazon Kindle e-book and as a large-format paperback.
The latest figures I have from the DRC Ebola outbreak (May 1st) are 1510 cases, 994 deaths. As yet, no restrictions have been placed on international travel to and from DRC.
Update May 18th 2019
Figures from May 15th. 1760 cases, 1161 deaths. Still no restrictions on international travel, but WHO have revised their vaccination schedule - they are reducing the dose per patient; this suggests they are running short of vaccine. They also claim they are short of money. Why am I thinking about Notre Dame? . . . funny old world.
Update 26th May 2019
1920 cases, 1281 deaths. Over 100 aid workers have gone down with the disease. The outbreak is now the second worst Ebola outbreak ever and is a long way from being under control. Neighbouring countries are being urged to remain vigilant. No international travel restrictions . . . maybe this is because there is no licensed vaccine available and therefore certificates of vaccination cannot be used to implement restrictions?
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