Premium Essay

Ebola

In:

Submitted By Eric1984orwell
Words 1040
Pages 5
Many people have asked me why the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa is so large, so severe, and so difficult to contain. These questions can be answered with a single word: poverty.

The hardest-hit countries, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, are among the poorest in the world. They have only recently emerged from years of conflict and civil war that have left their health systems largely destroyed or severely disabled and, in some areas, left a generation of children without education. In these countries, only one or two doctors are available for every 100,000 people, and these doctors are heavily concentrated in urban areas. Isolation wards and even hospital capacity for infection control are virtually nonexistent. Contacts of infected persons are being traced but not consistently isolated for monitoring.

Large numbers of people in these countries do not have steady, salaried employment. Their quest to find work contributes to fluid population movements across porous borders. The area where the borders of the three countries intersect is now the designated hot zone, where transmission is intense and people in the three countries continue to reinfect each other. Recent decisions to quarantine this area have brought extreme hardship to more than a million people — but are essential for containment.

These are only some of the many challenges to be overcome in the worst Ebola outbreak in the nearly four-decade history of this disease. The needs are enormous; the prospects for rapid containment are slim. The outbreak, in all its unprecedented dimensions, is an emergency of international concern and a medical and public health crisis, but it is also a social problem.

Now, 6 months into the response to the outbreak, fear remains the most difficult barrier to overcome. Fear causes people who have had contact with infected persons to escape from

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Ebola

...Paper 1 Ebola Ebola first appeared in 1976 in 2 separate incidents which occurred at the same time. The first one in Nzara, Sudan the other in Yambuka Democratic Republic of Congo in a village near the Ebola river, from which the disease gets its name. The reason why Ebola is spreading so frequently now is because the latest case have started in Guinea und has spread into Liberia and Sierra Leone, It is stilled being carried by persons from one to the other so it has not changed. The Human is being infected by coming into contact with an animal that has the disease which then infects that person who then in turns infects other people he comes into contact with. The ways that an infected person infects another person is from direct contact through broken skin or mucous membrane with the blood or other bodily fluids or secretions of the infected person. The incubation period range from 2 to 21 days. I now from personal experience that the Military has a 21 day incubation period for all those that come back from the West Africa Region, but it is not on the same post where you are stationed but on one of the 6 posts that are specially set up for this, this areas are like you normal place of duty or home, you are there just to be checked if you have the disease as you go about your daily routine. People that are exposed to Ebola are encouraged to seek out medical attention right away so that they can get proper...

Words: 340 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Ebola

...kasl;dka;s da;sdlas;dasnfks Dasdmsakdmlasdas;das Dasd a;sdlas Transmission It is thought that fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are natural Ebola virus hosts. Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest. Ebola then spreads through human-to-human transmission via direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials (e.g. bedding, clothing) contaminated with these fluids. Health-care workers have frequently been infected while treating patients with suspected or confirmed EVD. This has occurred through close contact with patients when infection control precautions are not strictly practiced. Burial ceremonies in which mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person can also play a role in the transmission of Ebola. People remain infectious as long as their blood and body fluids, including semen and breast milk, contain the virus. Men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit the virus through their semen for up to 7 weeks after recovery from illness. Symptoms of Ebola virus disease The incubation period, that is, the time interval from infection with the virus to onset of symptoms is 2 to 21 days. Humans are...

Words: 739 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Ebola

...EBOLA VIRUS (EBOV)1 Ebola Virus (EBOV) Alaina White Microbiology 11/04/2014 EBOLA VIRUS (EBOV)2 Ebola Virus (EBOV) The Ebola virus causes a serious illness, that causes haemorrhagic fever in humans and animals which, if it is not treated in time is often fatal. Diseases that are fatal like Ebola, affect the body's vascular system, which makes it hard for the blood to circulte through the body. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the first notification of the ebola virus was mentioned in the Ebola River valley in Zaire for the time of an outburst in 1976 (Olival et al., 2013). Researchers claim that the virus is zoonotic (animal-borne), with 4 out of 5 subtypes that happen in animal hosts close to Africa (MacNeil et al., 2010). Literature Review It has been proven by scientists that the Ebola virus can be transferred from one human beng to another by means of bodily contact. The common geographic territory that ia mostly influenced by divergent subtypes of the Ebola virus is Central Africa, especially the cities of Zaire, Sudan, and Gabon (Chepurnov, Bakulina, Dadaeva, Ustinova, & Chepurnova, 2009). Ebola virus infection runs its course from 14 to 21 days. Firstly, the infection can be identified with symptoms that are uncommon for the flu, including malaise, fever, and muscles pain. With the progress of infection, patients experience acute bleeding and coagulation abnormalities such as a rash, gastrointestinal bleeding (Chepurnov, Bakulina, Dadaeva...

Words: 1283 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Ebola

...Name: Professor: Title: Date of Submission: Origin and Spread Ebola Background According to WHO, Ebola which is a serious, acute illness if untreated is very fatal (WHO.Int). Ebola virus disease first appearance was in two simultaneous outbreaks back in 1976. One was in Yambuku in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the other in Nzara, Sudan. The name Ebola sprout from Yambuku neighbors a river known as Ebola River. In 2014, the first case was notified in March which is the most recent and is still a current outbreak in the West of Africa. Ideally, this is the most complex and largest Ebola outbreak since the 1976 first appearance. The numbers of deaths are the highest (WHO.Int). The spread began in Guinea before spreading to the bordering nations including Liberia and Sierra Leone, then to Nigeria through one traveller on air, and to Senegal through on traveller on land. Ebola hemorrhagic fever also the Ebola virus disease or simply Ebola is a disease of primates including humans whose cause is Ebola viruses. Fever, headaches, muscle pain and sore throats are the initial signs and symptoms that develop between two days and three weeks upon contracting the virus. Decreased function of the kidney and liver then follow in addition to rash, diarrhea and vomiting. At this time, it is likely to observe both external and internal bleeding. The risk of death in relation to Ebola is significantly high. Killings between 25% and 90% are recorded of those infected which extends to...

Words: 1883 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Ebola

...while avoiding measures that will create unnecessary interference with international travel or trade. Discuss this view. (15 marks) Ebola was first detected in 1976 in Sudan and Zaire (named after the Ebola River in Zaire). The first outbreak of Ebola – Sudan – infected over 284 people, having a mortality rate of 53%. A few months later, the second Ebola virus emerged from Yambuku in Zaire – the virus being called Zaire – this virus had the highest mortality rate of any of the Ebola viruses, infected 318 people. There are 3 more strains of Ebola, including the strain that is now being spread. This strain being spread now is Zaire and it is killing several people. The Ebola outbreak that broke out in West Africa is spreading faster than efforts to control it. On the 1st of August the virus has claimed to have lost 728 lives in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and statistics at this time has claimed that Ebola kills up to 90% of those infected. This virus is spread by contact with infected blood, bodily fluids, organs – or contaminated environments. Patients will have a much stronger change of survival if they receive early treatment. Initial flu like symptoms can lead to external haemorrhaging from the eyes and gums, and internal bleeding that can lead to organ failure. Currently there is no vaccine to prevent, or a treatment to cure Ebola. However it has been rumoured that we are on track to finding them. There will be trial dates set near the end of 2014 and into the early...

Words: 321 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Ebola

...about an emergent disease facing the world. Ebola has affected many countries in the world including United States of America. It has brought about many sociological factors that influenced the world to come together and work together and work together to fight the pandemic disease. United States and Britain come together raised money and funded my research institutions in America and in Africa to fight the disease. Therefore, I will take you into a journey and explain what Ebola is and how it is affected the world according to my research based on this disease. I hope you will learn how it affected the social factors in the society, for example, fatality rates and how the world society was affected in terms of health, financial constraints. This research paper is dedicated to the restless efforts of scientists, and government in the United States and Britain for their great contribution to fight Ebola. To the courageous doctors who flew to Africa and risked their lives in order to help the people in West Africa. Ebola virus disease (EVD) was also known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, it is severe, often fatal illness in humans. It is transmitted from wild animals and spreads to human population via direct human transmission. For example, it can also be transmitted through body fluids, objects and fruits from primates Also, Ebola firstly appeared in Sudan, Nzara and in the Republic of Congo in a village near Ebola River, thus its name evolved. Currently, it...

Words: 1841 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Ebola

...Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever Some of the most deadly killers can’t even be seen with the human eye. These microscopic predators are known as viruses. In my report, I will explain about one of the most deadly killing viruses, the Ebola virus. Ebola was named after the Ebola River in Zaire, which in 1976 is where the virus had first developed. The first outbreak infected over 284 people. Just a few months later there was a second outbreak from Yambuku, Zaire, which infected about 318 people. Ebola’s natural source was never identified, even with the astounding effort of experienced and dedicated researchers. The third strain of Ebola was first identified in 1989 when infected monkeys were imported into Reston, Virginia. The most recent outbreak of Ebola started with a pregnant woman from Ikanamongo Village that had butchered a wild animal. She became sick and reported to a private clinic in Isaka Village then later died on August 11, 2014, meaning that several healthcare workers had been exposed to the Ebola virus. The 2014 Ebola outbreak is the largest ever recorded in history, affecting multiple countries in West Africa. Although, most sources said the risk of Ebola coming to the United States was very low, there has recently been a case of Ebola in Dallas, Texas. Officials say they can keep it contained from spreading any further. As the Ebola virus travels through the human body, it begins damaging the immune system and the organs. It causes the clotting of blood to stop. If...

Words: 988 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Ebola

...1. What is Ebola? * Ebola is a disease of humans and other animals caused by Ebola viruses. It is called Ebola Virus Disease/EVD or Ebola Hemorrhagic fever/EHF or simply Ebola. 2. Where does the 2014 Ebola outbreak take place? * “The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is the world’s deadliest to date” says a BBC News. EVD outbreaks occur intermittently in Tropical regions of sub-Saharan Africa. The largest out break to date is the 2014 ongoing epidemic in West Africa. The outbreak began in Guinea in February and has since spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. 3.  How many Ebola patients and Ebola deaths have been reported across the countries inside and outside of Africa since the 2014 Ebola outbreak? * The scale of Ebola outbreak appears to be “vastly underestimated” says the UN’s health agency. As of January 2015, this outbreak has 21,724 reported cases resulting in 8641 deaths. 4. How can the cultural practices in the West African countries spread Ebola? * Cultural practices of burial ceremonies where mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person do increase the threat of spreading Ebola if the deceased was infected. Other cultural practices that give rise to human to human contact, through broken skin or mucous membrane, through sharing bedding and clothing. 5. How long does a patient start showing a sign of the disease after becoming infected, describe early and final signs and symptoms? * Signs and symptoms...

Words: 863 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Ebola

...officials from Miami-Dade health discussed how to manage a universal health threat on Ebola. There was a scare that was triggered by a police response. According Dr. Carlos Migoya who is the “chief executive of Jackson Health System”, Miami Dade’s public hospital network. “Every hour of every day, we are ready,” he said. To validate how prepared Jackson was, physicians demonstrated the protective green fluid- resistance gown, clear goggles, latex gloves and a face mask, shower cap and slipped covering on shoes in front of the media to ensure the prevent-ness and the outbreaks of Ebola. This virus is spread through direct contact with once bodily fluids. According to physician Abdul Memon who is the “chief medical officer for disaster and emergency preparedness states”, “ if a patent is vomiting or the patient has diarrhea, you wont get it on you”. Steps of Patient suspected having Ebola: They will be put in a pressurized room for three days while during medical staff doing blood work. If the first test shows negative, there will be a second test just for precautionary reason. Gov. Rick Scott: He made an announcement on Monday that his “ office is working with Texas officials to learn from their Ebola response, and Florida agencies have held conferences with state airport and seaport leaders about the preparedness plans”. State Health Agencies: A) Requested for additional Ebola testing kits (30) from the CDC. B) Ordered about 100 units of extra high-level protective...

Words: 546 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Ebola

...Video: “EBOLA” Reflection Paper In the year 1976, Ebola climbed out of its unknown hiding place, and caused the death of 340 people. In 2014, Ebola once again had climbed out of its hiding place and caused an outbreak in West Africa. A total of 2,000 deaths and thousands of cases documented by the end of 2014 that left all in panic. Feared gripped upon victim’s faces, and uncertainty tortured the minds of all on this planet including myself as a medical staff nurse. There had been more transmission between humans in the past four months than there had ever in the past 500 or more years concerning this deadly Ebola virus. As the infections transmitted and multiplied, it evolved so fast that any single mode vaccine could very well not contain it. As the body count tallies where up, it’s was beginning to appear like Ebola may be some kind of population reduction scheme as we all saw and the video portrayed. The people of Zaire where waiting outside of clinics, churches and in their homes for a treatment of this horrible disease, but there was no cure or vaccine at hand. Seeing this video and watching the news on TV made me feel helpless as a medical staff individual. Fear was upon us at hospitals, as we forced to watch people die on a daily basis thru the media, hoping that they would be saved from the violent death of the Ebola virus. Hospital nationwide where building isolation centers and procedures for cases appearing in the United States. Scientist...

Words: 1666 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Ebola

...International Effort to Combat Ebola By : Karinna – FE – Management – 2014 karinnali@yahoo.com / 081282689585 The disease that sent the world into frenzy used to be HIV AIDS, now, we have a new source of people anxiety, Ebola. There’s practically no one in this whole world that hasn’t heard about Ebola. The first Ebola case happened in 1976, simultaneously in 2 places, one in a village near the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the other in a remote area of Sudan. Since then, Ebola has not been noticed by the international world until the current outbreak happened in March 2014 in West Africa Now, the number of death caused by ebola has reach over 4.000 and still counting. The countries with the highest death number caused by ebola are Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The disease, however, has now spread to other countries out of the Africa continent. United States of America got it’s first ebola case earlier this month. Thomas Eric Duncan travelled from Liberia to USA on September 20 and died on October 8, just a week after he was diagnosed with ebola. The extremly high death rate, up to 90%, has made many countries take precaution to prevent eloba to spread or infect their country. One of US airport, JFK, located in New York, has started to do inspection towards passengers and crew arriving from the three countries with most patients suffering from ebola. JFK is now doing health screening and ask the passengers series of questions about wheter they have...

Words: 814 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Ebola

...March 26, 2014 the Zaire ebolavirus(EBOV) was confirmed to be the cause of the outbreak in West Africa. Up until 2014 this species had only been located in Gaban, Republic of the Congo, Central Africa, and Democratic Republic of the Congo. EBOV is considered the most deadly of the five known species of Ebola, holding true with approximately 11,000 deaths of approximately 28,000 reported cases from the start of the outbreak in March of 2014 to the present. Unfortunately there is no magic pill or cure that will destroy the Ebola virus, however with rapidly advancing technology a vaccine may be available within the year. The Ebola virus “was first identified in 1976 by Professor Peter Piot.” (Boulton, 2014, p. 988) Sudan cotton workers contracted the Ebola virus presumably from bats and when treated at the local hospital infecting many health care workers and then spreading the disease to nearby villages. This species was labeled the Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV). During the same year a few months later, in Zaire, a teacher was infected by eating bush meat, once treated at a neighboring hospital the disease spread due to re-using of contaminated needles. This species was labeled Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV). In 1989 another species was discovered, Reston ebolavirus (RESTV). Monkeys imported from the Philippines’ arrived in Virginia infected with the virus. Yet another species emerged in 1994. During a necropsy, an anthropologist was infected with Tai Forest ebolavirus (TAFV). The last species...

Words: 2464 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Ebola

...According to the Ebola Response Roadmap (2014), their objective is to halt the spread of Ebola within 6 to 9 months; ultimately preventing the Ebola virus from being spread internationally. Due the rapid transmission rate of Ebola in Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone, WHO launched an Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak Response Plan on July 31, 2014. It has been reported that over 3,000 people have been infected with the Ebola Virus and 1,400 people have died; many of them being volunteer healthcare workers. As a result of this, the national authorities in conjunction with WHO and other partners have increased control measures to keep the virus contained. Although there is a great effort being made to contain the Ebola virus, the record outbreak is still being transmitted at an alarming rate. The Ebola Response Roadmap outlines three major objectives: to attain nationwide coverage with corresponding Ebola response in the countries that have a vast transmission rate, to employ immediate response teams to areas with contained transmissions and/or with primary cases, and to promptly detect and respond to all Ebola cases in a timely manner (Ebola Response Roadmap, 2014). The Emergency Response Framework outlines three levels for responding to an outbreak. A Level 1 emergency is a single country or multiple countries with a minimal threat which requires a minimal scale response. A Level 2 emergency is single or multiple countries with a moderate threat which requires a moderately scaled...

Words: 451 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Ebola

...Student’s name Professor’s name Course Date Ebola The disease was first reported in Zaire (present Democratic Republic of Congo), thus its former Zaire Ebola virus. Many people have succumbed to the Ebola virus as a result of Ebola virus disease. Just like other Ebola viruses, the Ebola virus (EBOV), result in serious hemorrhagic fever in humans and it has been the cause of thousands of deaths especially in West Africa. But compared to other viruses, the Ebola virus has the highest mortality rate with an average of more than 80%. The fact that there have been numerous outbreak cases of the Ebola viruses explains the high levels. As a result of confusing it with malaria, Ebola cases were frequently treated with quinine. The first verified case of Ebola was reported on August, 1976 in Yambuku. (Team, p.223). The virus can also be transmitted through body fluids. The paper seeks to analyze Ebola in terms of origin, causes, symptoms and the preventive measures that should be taken. Apart from humans, Ebola has been found in other nonhuman primates such as monkeys and chimpanzees especially in Africa. But in other places such as the Philippines, the virus has been found in pigs. It, therefore, means that, on some occasions, the viruses is transmitted to humans from animals. People who butcher and eat infected animals in are at high risks of contracting the virus. Experts who have worked on infected animals have also been affected due to contact with the animal’s blood. Person...

Words: 2359 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Ebola

... Informational Reading : The Ebola Crisis Ebola. This virus has been in the news for quite a bit now, hasnt it? For those who dont really know about the Ebola virus, let me give you a brief, but precise explanation about it. The Ebola virus was first discovered in two African countries (Sudan and the Congo, then known as Zaire) in 1976. The affected reigon in Congo was near the Ebola River, which was how the virus got its name. Scientists believe the virus spread to humans who had contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected animals, including bats, monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, forest antelope and porcupines (Courtsey Of Washington Post). What I learned from this particular article about Ebola is that for one, this virus can disguise itself like the common cold. It says in the article, What Is Ebola and How Do People Catch It? Says that the symptoms can include: Sudden onset of fever Muscle Aches Weakness Sore Throat These symptoms are also followed by: Vomiting Diarrhea And a Rash However, if you have the common cold, this does not mean that you have Ebola! Unfortaunately, I also learned that as this malignant virus progresses in the victims body, the victim develop internal bleeding in the internal organs and on the outside openings of the body. I also think that this particular article is very important for people to read because it informs them like how it informed me about me about how Ebola can malevolently disguise itself...

Words: 395 - Pages: 2