The Ebola virus disease (EVD) may not be considered an international outbreak yet, but the panic it is causing in West Africa had global health officials worry about the possibility that the virus would spread real soon, and the world will not be prepared to deal with it.
On Tuesday, health experts at the Council on Foreign Relations said that the deadly disease that has engulfed three countries in West Africa is "out of control." The Los Angeles Times reported that the Ebola virus has already claimed the lives of around 900 people beginning March this year, and that despite the fact that the virus was first discovered in 1976, the disease has yet to be managed by any authoritarian institution.
CFR's senior fellow for global health, Laurie Garrett, who spoke on a conference call with reporters following the arrival of the second American patient infected with Ebola in Atlanta for quarantine and treatment, expressed her worries about the disease causing a widespread pandemic. Garrett's responses also came a day after a patient in New York City showed signs of being infected with the disease, but it was later confirmed that the patient is not suffering from EVD.
"There is no strategic plan of how we're going to bring this under control. What will be the global strategy if this disease shows up elsewhere?," Garrett asked.
Buzzfeed said that the first Ebola epidemic in the 70s has a mortality rate of 88%. The mortality rate has dropped to 60% as initial efforts from World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other concerned entities have helped stabilize infection within populations.
At the moment, there is no vaccine for Ebola, but steps to contain the disease, which include clinical trials of experimental drugs that would treat infected patients, have been progressing rapidly.
Dr Cary Presant for the Huffington Post shared tips on how people should be able to avoid getting infected with the virus, which is known to be passed through bodily fluids like saliva and sweat or through contact. As a practicing medical oncologist and hematologist, he urges the public to take note of the following tips:
1. Wash your hands or use an alcohol hand rub every time before and after going to a doctor's appointment, hospital or any kind of medical facility
2. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and dry with a clean towel.
3. Alcohol rubs and sanitizers are encouraged in cleansing hands that are not contaminated with dirt, soil or waste. Otherwise, hand washing is necessary. Ensure that doctors, nurses or medical personnel who has attended your needs or are in contact with you and your food have gone through the necessary cleansing steps.
4. Handshakes are deadly nowadays. Politely deny handshakes but if it's unavoidable, wash your hands after.
5. Do not visit infected people or people who have traveled to locations where there is infection. Avoid bringing children into hospitals or medical facilities. If you have to visit, do not bring your children and avoid touching anything as much as possible.
Signs of infection are high fever and bleeding from all orifices. Contact your doctor or check with your local health office for more details about the disease.
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