According to a CBSNews poll, most Americans are at least somewhat concerned about Ebola and most don’t think
the country is prepared to deal with it.
The daily news has
at least one article on Ebola. Yesterday, there was a report about a passenger
removed from a flight to the Dominican Republic, when he coughed and joked, “I
have Ebola. You’re all screwed.” He tested negative.
While accompanying a
patient to her medical appointment this week, we were both asked about fevers, coughs and
other symptoms of Ebola. Given that we live in a remote and rural part of the
country, that was pretty surprising.
The fear about this
disease is spiraling out of control faster than the disease itself. So let’s
put things in perspective:
What is Ebola: An infectious disease, which has a fatality
rate between 50-90 percent. Thought to have originated in fruit bats, Ebola was
first detected in 1976 near the Ebola River in today’s Democratic Republic of
Congo.
How is it Spread: Ebola is spread through direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes in, for
example, the eyes, nose, or mouth) with
•
blood or body fluids
(including but not limited to urine, saliva, sweat, feces, vomit, breast milk,
and semen) of a person who is sick with Ebola
•
objects (like needles
and syringes) that have been contaminated with the virus
• infected animals (mammals-humans,
bats, monkeys and apes) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)
IT IS NOT SPREAD THROUGH THE AIR OR BY WATER. While it is generally not
spread through food, in Africa, Ebola may be spread as a result of handling
bush meat. There is no evidence that insects, e.g. mosquitoes transmit the
virus. Compared with most common diseases, Ebola is
not particularly infectious. A person must have symptoms to spread
Ebola to others.
What are the symptoms? Symptoms include: fever, severe headache,
muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal (stomach) pain,
unexplained hemorrhage (bleeding or bruising). Symptoms may appear between 2 to
21 days after exposure to the virus, but the average is 8 to 10 days.
Who’s at Risk?: Those who care for people with symptoms of
Ebola are at risk. It is important that those providing treatment or care for
people with Ebola that they were appropriate protective equipment, including
masks, gowns, gloves and eye protection. CDC
Note that once a person with Ebola has recovered, they can no longer spread
the virus. However, the virus has been detected for up to 3 months in semen so
it is important these people either abstain from sex or use condoms.
How to Prevent it: There is no approved
vaccine available for Ebola at this time. If you are going to travel or are in
an area affected by Ebola, follow the CDC guidelines, which include careful
hygiene and not handling items that came in contact with blood or body fluids.
American’s Risk: According to the CDC Ebola poses no substantial risk to the U.S. general
population. CDC recognizes that Ebola causes a lot of public worry and concern,
but CDC’s mission is to protect the health of all Americans, including those
who may become ill while overseas. Ebola patients can be transported and
managed safely when appropriate precautions are used.
Is the U. S.
Prepared? While the first case that came into Dallas had some issues, the U.S. deals
with flu and other highly contagious diseases daily. The
Sars outbreak and pandemic flu scares mean hospitals and public health
officials in most countries are required to have contingency plans for both
local, small-scale outbreaks and major events.
Protecting Yourself Against Ebola: The CDC has issued a Level 3 travel warning
for U.S. citizens to avoid nonessential travel to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra
Leone. Nigeria has been downgraded to a Level 1 Watch, while the Democratic
Republic of the Congo has an Alert, or Level 2 status. For additional travel
alerts, go to Traveler’s Health Ebola web page.
If you have to worry about something: Worry about getting the flu. The 1918-19 flu
pandemic killed up to 5% of the world’s population, making it the most deadly
illness in recorded history. The simple measures of vaccination, hand washing
and covering your cough will go a long way to avoiding flu. Read Don’t have time for the flu. Take Time to Prevent it.
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