Ebola Disease Epidemiology

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.

Although Ebola caught the world’s attention during the 1995 outbreak in Zaire, the first outbreak occurred in 1976. As the chart below displays, 71% of the people infected died as a result of Ebola during this first outbreak (Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 56 (2): 247-270, 1978). With the current outbreak, this ratio has dramatically decreased as a result of scientific research leading to early detection, but the current infected population is more than 20 times the amount of any previous outbreak and this number continues to grow as no vaccine exists to prevent the disease.

This Ebola outbreak taught us many factors of public health that we simply ignore daily, like washing hands. These viruses are easily transmitted from person to person, through their blood or body-fluids. Therefore it is very important to research about our public health around us, for everyone’s health and future. The Ebola outbreak showed how the world is very ignorant of their public health. It is better for them to know all of these tragedies and educate themselve to prevent from any other outbreaks that will take place in the future. The plan to release more information and persuade to adjust West African culture will definitely make public healthier, view the world differently, and our future generations will learn the importance of learning

Since March 2014, in excess of 3,000 individuals have passed from the unstoppable spread of the Ebola infection all through the West African nations of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria. Notwithstanding the colossal and miserable loss of human life, the Ebola broad sickness is having shocking and ruinous consequences for these West African economies in a mixed bag of greatly imperative parts/territories by ending exchange, harming cultivating and startling speculators.

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

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.

Discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River, Ebola’s first two outbreaks in Sudan and Zaire killed the majority, over half, of the people infected with the disease. Although the natural host reservoir of Ebola has yet to be found, the virus is believed to be animal-borne. A person gets Ebola from a wild animal and then is spread throughout the human population through person-to-person transmission. Healthcare workers providing aide for Ebola victims know that they have a high possibility of contracting the disease because they are exposed to infected blood and body fluids. It could take from two to twenty-one days for the Ebola Virus to show symptoms in humans, and

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

Ebola was first recognized in 1976 as the cause of outbreaks of disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then known as Zaire) and in Sudan. About three hundred people in each of the two nations were infected with the virus, resulting in a mortality rate of 88% in Zaire, and 53% in Sudan (Bulletin of the WHO 1978). The disease as it was discovered spread through direct contact of unmans to humans, and then thought, from non-human primates to humans. The epidemic was a result of unsafe and unsanitary hospital practices, and non-sterilized medical equipment. The disease was then contained, however sporadic outbreaks of the Zaire and Sudan Ebola subtypes have risen in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Uganda, and Sudan; one of the latest outbreaks was in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in September of 2007.

Thousands have died and many are in danger from the effects of Ebola. In 2013, the pestilent virus began in Guinea where it then meandered into Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Senegal. The African countries are now facing challenges to fight and prevent the malaise. The alarming death rate is forcing the region into a state of crisis. The affected countries are striving for a cure, however, the issue remains incorrigible. “In addition, as a number of these countries are quite poor, aid and health

Both the Epi-Info-VHF and DHIS 2 databases were cleaned and prepared by epidemiology department staff at the WHO Country Office, Liberia to produce a historical dataset of unduplicated cases. Consistent with the WHO’s Ebola Situation Reports, three categories of EVD incidence were included in this study—suspected, probable, and confirmed cases. Suspected cases included any person that had experienced symptoms consistent with EVD (e.g., high fever, vomiting) or had come in contact with persons that had suffered symptoms of EVD or a dead or sick animal. Probable cases are defined as those suspected cases evaluated by a physician. Confirmed cases are those suspected cases that were confirmed positive for EVD antigen through laboratory testing. Including suspected cases, rather than those persons examined by a physician or experienced laboratory confirmation for EVD diagnosis, captures persons without access to healthcare, an important segment among those affected by the

In the video by 60-second Recap dubbed “Thesis Statements: Four Steps to a Great Essay,” the speaker is articulate and begins the video by clearly stating what the viewers should expect from the video. I like the way the speaker is concise and goes straight to the point; she offers a lot of information in only less than four minutes and thirty seconds. The speaker strategically explains her subject using four clearly defined steps and provides an example of developing a thesis statement using a familiar book; this actually made me realize the relevance of the video since it provided a relatable example. After she was finished she again did a recap of the four steps again; this made me feel she was so insightful and knew what she was doing as

Rogers, Al V., and Robyn Dixon. "West Africa Declared Ebola-Free." Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan, 2016, pp. A.3, SIRS Issues Researcher,https://sks.sirs.com.

Ebola has disseminated through six countries, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, United States, and Mali, killing 11,215 people, 21 months after the first case in March 23, 2014. The outbreaks in Nigeria and Senegal are officially over. However, Sierra Leone and Guinea’s outbreaks were larger which took more time. But Sierra Leone was declared Ebola-free on November 17,2014 and Guinea followed in December. In addition, Liberia had the worst outbreak, killing more than 4800 people. During August and September 2014, Liberia was announcing 30-40 cases per week. The outbreak was declared over until a 17-year old man died and more cases were reported. Also, Nigeria revealed its first case in July and Mali reported its first Ebola patient on

Normally infecting fruit bats, the Ebola virus found a mutation allowing it to spread to humans. This virus is an acute and often fatal illness. This virus first erupted in two outbreaks in 1976 (one occurring in Nzara and Sudan, while the other occurred in a village near the Ebola river, where the virus takes its name.) The current outbreak, starting in West Africa with the potential to spread throughout the world,  is  larger and more complex than previous outbreaks. This virus has caused more deaths than all other past Ebola outbreaks combined. With approximately five people infected with the virus every hour in Sierra Leone alone, how far – and how fast – will the Ebola virus go?