Many people believed that Ebola was an “African problem” and didn’t affect Americans, but those beliefs are being shattered by almost daily diagnoses around the country and news of the disease spreading. According to the Centers for Disease Control website, Ebola, previously known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a rare and deadly disease caused by infection with one of the Ebola virus strains. Ebola can cause disease in humans and nonhuman primates (monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees) (http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/about.html). Ebola is caused by infection with a virus of the family Filoviridae, genus Ebolavirus. There are five identified Ebola virus species, four of which are known to cause disease in humans: Ebola virus (Zaire ebolavirus); Sudan virus (Sudan ebolavirus); Taï Forest virus (Taï Forest ebolavirus, formerly Côte d’Ivoire ebolavirus); and Bundibugyo virus (Bundibugyo ebolavirus). The fifth, Reston virus (Reston ebolavirus), has caused disease in nonhuman primates, but not in humans (http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/about.html).
The first case was patient Thomas Eric Duncan, a Liberian who was in Dallas, Texas visiting family. He was diagnosed Sept. 30 and treated at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. By October 4, his health was deteriorating and by October 8, he had passed away from complications of the ebola virus. Health care worker Nina Pham who cared for Duncan then contracted the disease. While she is in “improved condition today,” it is unclear as to why she traveled via airplane and exposed over 100 other people to the virus. Even though she was not exhibiting signs at the time, she should not have traveled on a commercial airline. News came on October 15 of a second health care worker who had been in contact with Duncan who had contracted the disease. This worker is s “ill but clinically stable” as of Oct. 15 (http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/15/health/texas-ebola-outbreak/index.html). Officials are looking to move the second health care worker, Amber Vinson, and potentially may move Pham, to one of only four hospital locations in the entire United States that are equipped with biocontamination containment units. Vinson also flew on a commercial airline flight with 132 other passengers on board with her. The CDC is looking to interview all of those people who were on that Frontier Airlines Flight 1143, or the earlier flight 1142, with Vinson. After news of the confirmation of ebola was released the airplane was removed from service. President Obama is meeting with the White House agencies to determine a course of action. Mark Zuckerburg, noted founder of Facebook, has even donated 25 million to the study of and prevention of the ebola virus.
An official close to the situation says that in hindsight, Duncan should have been transferred immediately to either Emory University Hospital in Atlanta or Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
Those hospitals are among only four in the country that have biocontainment units and have been preparing for years to treat a highly infectious disease like Ebola.
As of press date, an oregan woman, and NYC doctor and his close friends and family have all been quarantined and cleared of the disease, however, a Monroeville, NY man has newly been taken to a hospital for quarantine. Four official cases were diagnosed as of Oct. 31. Stay turned to your local news stations for more information on this developing story.
Further information from http://www.theguardian.com
The Disease
The Ebola virus is transmitted in the bodily fluids of people who are seriously ill, who are likely to be vomiting, bleeding or have diarrhea. Blood, feces and vomit are the most infectious fluids, and in late stages of the disease even tiny amounts can carry high loads of virus. But a nurse who got a patient’s blood on her hands could wash it off with soap and water without any ill-effects. He or she would become ill only if they had a cut or abrasion on their hand or touched their mouth, eyes or nose, which would allow the virus to pass into their bodily fluids.
Prevention
Frequent hand washing and avoidance of contact with anyone’s bodily fluids should be enough to keep the general public safe.