The Ebola Crisis

If you didn’t already know, Ebola is a deadly virus which has recently gained worldwide attention. Ebola is a disease which can cause victims to die from excessive internal or external bleeding. Ebola is spread through contact with bodily fluids of another infected person. The symptoms for the disease are fever, vomiting, sore throat, and rash, and can begin anywhere from 2 to 21 days after a person is infected. Since July, several countries in West Africa have experienced an outbreak of the disease. Many doctors were sent over in order to try to control the spread of the disease and two Americans, Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol, contracted the disease and were brought back to America and placed in isolation. Both were given an experimental drug and both recovered from the disease. In late September, another man from West Africa flew in to the U.S. unaware that he had Ebola and was later isolated in a Texas hospital. The man died 8 days later and two nurses who cared for the patient were also infected and placed in isolation. Several other people that the nurses and the man from West Africa may have come in contact with are being actively monitored. While there has been speculation as to whether or not the U.S. is prepared for an Ebola outbreak, the CDC is claiming that they are taking all the measures necessary to prevent the disease from spreading. The CDC has helped prepare hospitals all around the country in case of an outbreak and has increased screening of passengers from Ebola stricken nations at several international airports. It has also been reported that scientists are currently working on a vaccine. As for the nurses infected with Ebola, they are said to be improving and in stable condition. Many of those being monitored are also reaching the end of their 21-day monitoring period and are showing no symptoms of the disease. Signs of hope that Ebola in America may soon come to an end.

Photo Credit: Ebola Virus by CDC Global

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