Ebola Outbreak in West Africa

Since the Ebola outbreak in West Africa was first reported in March 2014, the total number of cases are now in excess of 14,000 with reported deaths from the disease as at 9 November 2014 now about 5,160 in six countries namely; Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, the United States and Mali.

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is unprecedented since the emergence of HIV/Aids. The WHO has declared Nigeria and Senegal Ebola free. However, the most hit West African nations are Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea; with Liberia the worst hit of the three.

The spread of Ebola virus outside West Africa has been limited to health workers in Madrid, Spain and Dallas, United States who treated patients infected with the virus while in West Africa. The health workers have since been treated and are recovering in their respective countries. The known mode of getting infected with the virus is coming in contact with infected droplets of blood, vomit or faeces through broken skin or mucous membranes such as eyes, the lining of the nose or the mouth. However, the disease is not airborne like the flu. The symptoms of the disease includes fever, diarrhoea and vomiting. Internal and external bleeding have also been observed in patients.

Although there are no known cure for the virus, experimental vaccines and drugs are being developed, but they have not yet been fully tested for safety or effectiveness. Donor blood of survivors of the virus are also been used, as such blood will have mounted an immune response capable of defeating the virus. This method is plausible in theory to help patients fight the virus, but it is unclear how effective it would be.

Doctors wearing protective equipment outside an Ebola treatment unit in Nigeria.

With no proven cure for Ebola, precautionary methods has to be taken by people with high risk of contracting the disease, such as health care workers, family members of infected patients or any other person in close contact with infected patients. Health workers and carers should wear gloves and protective equipment, such as masks, goggles and full-body suits so as to reduce the risk of getting infected. People are also advised to wash their hands regularly.

Washing hands and improving hygiene is one of the best ways to fight the virus

Source: BBC News