WattMag: Spooky November Issue

Ebola Fact Sheet

Title: Ebola Fact Sheet

Topic: Ebola

Written by: forfatter

The outbreak of Ebola virus centered in West Africa is frightening for many reasons. It is the largest outbreak ever, having claimed thousands of lives; and the deadly infectious disease can travel easily from person to person in the later stages. 

It began in Guinea in December 2013 then spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone. Much smaller subsidiary outbreaks have occurred in Senegal and Nigeria, with individual cases in the United States and Spain.

The current epidemic of EVD, caused by Ebola virus, is the most severe outbreak of Ebola since the discovery of Ebola viruses in 1976,and by September 2014 cases of EVD from this single outbreak exceeded the sum of all previously identified cases. The epidemic has caused significant mortality, with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) reported as 71%.

On September 30, 2014, the first Ebola case diagnosed in the United States was reported. The patient, later named as Thomas Eric Duncan, arrived in Dallas on September 20. Four days later he fell ill and sought medical treatment on September 26. Despite telling a nurse that he had arrived in the US from West Africa, he was sent home with antibiotics. The hospital later blamed a flaw in their health records system for releasing the man. He returned to the hospital by ambulance on 28 September and was placed in isolation. The patient died on 8 October at around 7:51 am.

 According to WHO (World Health Organization), this disease is by far the most severe acute public health emergency seen in modern times.

Here are ten facts to know more about this disease and may (maybe) ease your fears:

1. The first human outbreaks occurred in 1976, one in northern Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) in Central Africa: and the other, in southern Sudan (now South Sudan). The virus is named after the Ebola River, where the virus was first recognized in 1976.

2. Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a disease caused by one of five different Ebola viruses: Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV), Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV), Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV), Taï Forest ebolavirus (TAFV) and Reston ebolavirus (RESTV). Four of the strains can cause severe illness in humans and animals. The fifth, Reston virus, has caused illness in some animals, but not in humans.

3. Humans can be infected by other humans if they come in contact with body fluids from an infected person or contaminated objects from infected persons. Humans can also be exposed to the virus, for example, by butchering infected animals.

4. While the exact reservoir of Ebola viruses is still unknown, researchers believe the most likely natural hosts are fruit bats.

5. Symptoms of Ebola typically include: weakness, fever, aches, diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain. Additional experiences include rash, red eyes, chest pain, throat soreness, difficulty breathing or swallowing and bleeding (including internal).

6. Unprotected health care workers are susceptible to infection because of their close contact with patients during treatment.

7. Ebola is not transmissible if someone is asymptomatic or once someone has recovered from it.

8. Male survivors may be able to transmit the disease via semen for nearly two months.

9. The average EVD (Ebola Virus Disease) case fatality rate is around 50%. Case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks.

10. There is no vaccine to prevent Ebola but two potential candidates are undergoing evaluation.

Now we know what and how deadly Ebola virus, the question is can our government prevent an epidemic once this deadly disease enters our country?

Source:

CNN, WHO, and Wikepedia