Ebola. That single word alarms almost every person in the US. But should it? Five people in the United States have contracted it, and four of those people were cured. In less fortunate countries, such as Guinea and Liberia, the survival rate is less than 30%. Here, it is 80%. Then why are people freaking out so much?
First, let's start with the basic facts. As stated by the Centers for Disease Control, Ebola is spread only through direct contact with bodily fluids such as blood and saliva, but only if that person is infected and already has symptoms of this disease. It is quite rare, and may be deadly if left untreated. Some symptoms include fatigue, diarrhea, and vomiting. Severe headaches, fever, stomach or muscle pain, and weakness are common as well. But the main symptom is unexplained bleeding or bruising, also known as hemorrhage. These symptoms can appear between two and twenty-one days after coming in contact with the virus, and at that point in time, the person is contagious.
The current outbreak that started in March of 2014 is the largest epidemic of this virus since it was discovered and identified in 1976. About 15,000 people have died of Ebola this year, according to www.cdc.gov. However, most of them were in areas where sanitation and doctors are scarce. In poorer nations, such as Mali and Nigeria, people often do not have the health care they need, so the death rate for epidemics like this one is generally very high. In the United States, however, we have excellent medicine and hospitals, so fear of dying from this disease is fairly unnecessary.
Nevertheless, studies show that many Americans fear Ebola more than Hepatitis C, a deadly infection that kills over one million people a year (as stated by www.hepb.org). According to usnews.nbcnews.com, lightning has killed almost five times as many people as Ebola has in the United States this year. In countries that have outbreaks, many people are afraid, and they should be, but here in the US we shouldn’t be fearful. Our government is taking proper precautions and we should not worry about an outbreak anytime soon.
By Jane M.
Ebola: An Editorial
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