So we’ve all heard of this thing, Ebola, that’s killing people in Africa and other places in the world- but what is it and can it be stopped?
Well the Ebola outbreak began way before we started really hearing about it- around March. It’s a rare but deadly virus with no cure or vaccine, and is transmitted by bodily fluids. The symptoms aren’t pretty, they include vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and bleeding. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) estimates a 70% mortality rate. Yes, there was a person infected with Ebola who was being treated in the United States, and his name was Thomas Eric Duncan. Unfortunately, he died early Wednesday morning at a hospital in Dallas, Texas. Currently, 48 people are evaluated daily who have come in contact with him. But no need to freak out, and here’s why:
- It’s a containable disease and the US has the technology to keep it that way
- It’s not easy to get infected
- It’s not an automatic death sentence
- It isn’t as deadly as other diseases in America
You might be thinking, “So, if there’s no need to freak out and there’s not a great chance of Ebola spreading in America, then why should I care?”
Because there is an estimate that 75% of all people who have died in Liberia are WOMEN. This is because of the culture in the country, where women are the caregivers. The wives and daughters take care of their loved ones without gloves or any protection from getting infected. A huge problem is that people cannot touch patients with Ebola, therefore isolation is a necessity. Isolation, however, is not fun. This is why lots of people keep their fear of having Ebola a secret, so that their family members will still touch them and take care of them. This results in a lack of trust, and has caused unrest in the communities of Liberia and Sierra Leone. If containment doesn’t get better by November 20, estimates show that there will be 20,000 cases of the virus. Approximately 75% of that number will be women.
This, ladies, is why we should care.
To make a difference, donate to Doctors Without Borders, an organization that is currently fighting the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa.