Ebola: History And Analysis of the Current Outbreak
The spread of Ebola has been much-publicized in the media, due to the fact "the current outbreak in West Africa, (first cases notified in March 2014), is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976. There have been more cases and deaths in this outbreak than all others combined" ("Ebola, 2014). This paper will summarize contributing factors behind the epidemic, suggesting that in addition to biological characteristics of the pathogen, critical structural deficits in the health system in Africa are also contributing to its spread.
The nature of Ebola
According to the World Health Organization's fact sheet on the disease, the Ebola virus was first identified in 1976 during two simultaneous outbreaks, one in the Sudan and the other in the Congo. The virus is believed to have originated in the fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family and entered the human population "through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest" ("Ebola, 2014). Human-to-human transmission occurs through the transmission of bodily fluids. Symptoms include a "sudden onset of fever fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from the gums, blood in the stools)" ("Ebola, 2014). Death is possible as a result of contracting Ebola.
Underlying issues
The hardest-hit countries have some of the least developed health infrastructures in Africa. The nature of the disease requires strict...
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