The Epidemic Of Ebola Epidemic

In late 2013, Ebola virus disease (EVD), a deadly and lethal disease, remerged in West Africa spreading to various countries in the region. In humans, the disease is spread through contact with infected bodily fluids leading to haemorrhagic fever (World Health Organization [WHO], 2015). Originating in 1976 in equatorial Africa, past outbreaks with a few hundred cases had been contained within rural, forested areas in Uganda and Congo (Piot, 2012). In 2014, a total of 20, 206 cases and 7,905 deaths were reported to have occurred in up to eight countries worldwide. Of all cases and deaths resulting from the disease, 99.8% occurred in three neighbouring West African countries - Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea (WHO, 2014). With a case fatality rate from about 50% to 90%, and the absence of preventative or curative therapies, the Ebola epidemic has led to overall global alarm and further elucidated existing global health disparities that perpetuated the epidemic with these West African countries.

In 2014 the United States was hit with a force far more deadly and dangerous than many threats received. The ebola virus took the world by storm after it was carried to the United States and spread by people who had visited West Africa. This virus was all the more deadly as it often took hours for any symptoms to occur. In this time the Center for Disease Control spent much time and many resources looking for answers to the many questions they had. Under the time constraint and scrutinizing public, they had to determine what ebola was, what it did and its effects on the general public.

The whole world is at edge knowing that Ebola is a very lethal virus and it is very tough to treat and cure an infected person. But it has been seen that in countries were level of development is higher and health care is easily reached this disease can be fought.

In 2014 the world watched in horror as West Africa experienced the largest Ebola epidemic in history. Affected countries in Africa included Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone and the epidemic, having begun in December 2013, went on for a full year, with additional cases occurring throughout 2015. Over 19,000 cases were reported by December 2014 and of those, 7,518 lost their lives. Today, we know that in total, over 11,000 people lost their lives ("Previous case counts", 2016). There were many factors at play in this outbreak, such as the emergence of a new strain Ebola virus; a lack of preparedness in West Africa, where Ebola had not been seen prior to 2014; a shortage of health care workers and subsequent death of many more them, leading

Ebola Virus disease (EVD) is a severe and often fatal illness in humans according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) (WHO, 2016). Although initially originating in wild animals it spreads through the human population via human to human transmission of bodily fluids with the average casualty rate being about 50% (WHO, 2016). The key to prevention and control of Ebola outbreaks is through community engagement, safe burials and good health centre prevention measures (WHO, 2015). Two countries will be examined one has experienced multiple cases of Ebola, Sierra Leone, and the other a few cases, the United States of America. The

There has recently been a death from the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone only a few hours after it was reported that the outbreak was over in West Africa. Someone got sick at a small town near Guinea and health officials are looking for people that could have been near the infected person. This was right after the World Health Organization told us Ebola was over and Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea had each stopped the “chain of transmission” all at the same time for the first time and this was a huge deal because it meant all three nations that experienced Ebola at its worst had reported zero cases for more than 42 days. But despite supposedly being Ebola free it was important to be very cautious.

The FRONTLINE documentary, Outbreak, tells the story of the Ebola outbreak of 2014. They trace the disease way back to where the very first cases of it were scene. The outbreak of ebola originated in the West African country of Guinea. It quickly begins to spread to other countries like Sierra Leone and Nigeria. The spreading was a result of individuals who contracted the disease moving and traveling across Africa. Many of these countries believe that they could control the disease at a small-scale, but they surely underestimated the severity of the outbreak. As more and more cases arose, and the disease spread even within the hospitals and quarantine sites, it seemed liked there was no resolution. With so many unanswered questions and no solution

Every illness begins at a single source that can rapidly spread to susceptible individuals who are completely unaware of what is occurring before them. This infection sparks a chain of events that can quickly transform a small illness into an epidemic. On March 25, 2014 the World Health Organization(WHO) announced the outbreak of a new strain of the Ebola virus disease with 86 suspected cases[15]. From this point onward, constant updates have been documented, and until the end of November 2014 the condition grew in number and prevalence[7]. With additional efforts and protocols instituted by organizations such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus began to fall until the present day. Fortunately, a pharmaceutical company

Ebola virus disease (EVD) policies globally has become a confusing and ongoing investigation among world governments and leaderships. The first diagnosis in America confirmed and made public by the Centers if Disease Control (CDC), was in Texas on September 20, 2014. The patient had developed symptoms around the fourth day after coming into the United States (CDC 2014). The patient had stated he did not pose any symptoms when he left West Africa. Upon falling ill, he went to a Texas hospital, and based upon the signs and symptoms he was presenting, the hospital performed a laboratory test. The test confirmed he was in fact positive for the virus, but to found in critical condition. Texas Presbyterian Hospital isolated the patient and unfortunately, the patient died from complications of the virus on October 8, 2014. As stated by DR. Tom Frieda (2014), Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “We will contact anyone we think has any likelihood of having had contact with the patient when he was infectious, starting with relatives he had been staying with” (para 2). Health officials stated that once contacts were identified, they would be monitored for 21 days, which is the incubation period for the virus, for any signs and symptoms of the infection. At that point, the person would be put into quarantine themselves (CDC 2014). The public remained uneasy and questioned what was going to be done to stop the virus

“It is rare for someone to die in the United States from Ebola because medical and monetary resources are extensive-much more so than in West Africa” (Fantz). The way Ebola even traveled to the US was from Americans who felt that West Africa and other countries needed help fighting Ebola. They took time out of their own lives to go and save others’ lives while also risking their own at the same time. Since West Africa does not have the resources we

Not only because they will lose on the money coming from those countries but because they will spend more money in trying to figure out who has Ebola and who doesn’t. For example, it going to be impressive seeing those countries that want to prevent the infected countries spent so much money trying to find the people who do have Ebola. For example, what if an American Citizen was infected would he not be allow returning to his home country because he is infected with Ebola? It is more than obvious that taking the privilege away of the people who come from Ebola infect countries will cause chaos in the world. It might even affect the amnesty some countries have with each other due to this

The last Ebola outbreak was merely a year ago. This tragedy is fresh; I remember watching the news in fear that Ebola would come to America…until it did. First in Texas then again when two American doctors were flown from Africa to Emory. The idea of Ebola being in my back yard was absolutely terrifying! I couldn’t stop imagining what I’m going to do when I’m a medical student and a biohazard level four patient is in the same hospital as me.

The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) has spread across several West African countries, adding a significant medical and financial burden to their healthcare systems and economies. The virus has the potential to spread and efforts to halt its progression are challenged by already struggling economies and healthcare systems. The EVD epidemic started in resource-constrained settings and caused thousands of fatalities. However, given population mobility, international travel and an increasingly globalized economy, the recent EVD epidemic has the potential to reoccur and evolve into a global pandemic [1]. Struggling health systems in West African countries pose a significant challenge to contain future EVD epidemics and to reduce its causes and effects.

The Ebola virus (EBOV) is very pathogenic, and it belongs to the genus Ebolavirus within the family of Filoviridae. The virus can cause several syndromes between human and non-human primates. This syndrome includes a hemorrhagic fever. In fact, there is a recent epidemic of EBOV in West Africa that has increased the morbidity and mortality rate of the infection to a higher percentage, but there are surges in developing their health care system to combat the infection and to control the future incidences. West Africa nations that are affected by the Ebola virus has trained healthcare workers about safety methods in handling outbreaks and has given early prophylactic treatment to reduce the dose of the virulent. However, there are two types

SECOND POINT: Although an outbreak in America is highly unlikely, the fact that Ebola has been diagnosed on American soil brings fear to all. Because of its infectiousness and long incubation period, and the banality of early symptoms, it can be difficult to track and contain. We also do not have a cure for this disease, sure we have experimental drugs, but nothing official. The spread has been much quicker in this outbreak than others, affecting both urban and rural areas. Usual protective measures to prevent the spread appear to be less effective in this epidemic. What ebola does to the human body defies reason and is something like out of a horror movie, not a text book. Americans feel hopeless and vulnerable because Ebola is here. The victim who flew from Liberia to Dallas, Texas on September 30th of this year did expose others and there is a risk of it spreading. The Ebola virus is the most terrifying and least-understood virus known to man. We are witnessing the onset of a deadly mutation anticipated and feared for almost four decades. Americans have watched fully informed and trained health care workers contract Ebola.