The latest Ebola outbreak shows no signs of abating.
On April 24, First suspected case A rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola was detected within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On May 17, the World Health Organization declared an outbreak “Public Health Emergency of International Concern”.
There is a current outbreak of Ebola. The third largest In World History, with 906 suspected cases And 223 deaths Until May twenty seventh only in DRC.
And it can have spread to other continents. Health officials are actually investigating. A suspected case In Italy, and Two possible cases The three in Brazil are believed to be travelers getting back from the DRC or Uganda. An American man Those who tested positive for Ebola are currently being treated in Germany.
As concerns grow, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations has done more. A $86 million Funding to fast-track the event of three potential vaccines targeting the Bundibugyo strain.
But within the meantime, could the epidemic spread further? And how concerned should we be?
A deadly virus
Ebola is a rare but potentially deadly virus that spreads primarily. Direct contact With bodily fluids resembling blood, feces and vomit from an infected person.
Early symptoms Ebola symptoms include sore throat, headache, fever, fatigue, and body aches. Severe cases of Ebola can cause Skin rashes, shortness of breath, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and seizures.
Ebola something First the identity In 1976 in humans. Since then, there have been more. 40 outbreaks Worldwide, with the bulk occurring in African countries.
The current outbreak is the third outbreak attributable to the rarity. Bundibugyo strain. Most of the past outbreaks were driven by the more virulent Zira strain, which caused fatalities. Up to 90% of individuals than Up to 34% For Bundibugyo
What is driving this latest epidemic?
Factors driving this latest outbreak also contributed Until the devastating West African outbreak of 2014–16, where greater than 11,000 people died..
In each outbreaks, the virus had been circulating for months before outbreaks were declared, and early cases were reported. Non-specific symptoms.
Both epidemics also spread rapidly. Urban areas. In transmission Health care settings There is one other common factor.
Political instability and social unrest also contributed to each outbreaks. Recently within the DRC, there are crowds. Make a fire In the hospital tents, prompting some patients to flee the isolation ward.
And certain cultural practices — including traditional burial rituals that always involve handling corpses — can. accelerated the spread of each epidemics.
How did it cross continents?
Like the West African outbreak, this latest Ebola outbreak has spread to other continents through travel.
Nine cases And A death It has already been reported in Uganda, which borders the DRC.
one American man A person who tested positive for Ebola while working within the DRC is in stable condition after treatment in Germany.
Authorities in Italy Monitoring A traveler who recently returned to the town of Cagliari from the DRC.
According to some reports, Brazilian authorities Investigating Two suspected cases of Ebola. They are believed to be two passengers, one who returned to Sao Paulo from the DRC and the opposite from Uganda to Rio de Janeiro.
Importantly, each suspected cases have been diagnosed. Other diseases. The Sao Paulo patient had a fever and was later diagnosed with acute meningitis. A patient in Rio de Janeiro tested positive for malaria after developing cough, chills and diarrhea, but has since Tested negative For Ebola
So far, no cases of Ebola have been confirmed in Brazil. But these suspected cases have prompted the country to activate its Ebola safety protocols, which include patient isolation, laboratory testing, and epidemiological investigations.
Meanwhile, several countries have imposed travel restrictions to stop Ebola from reaching their shores.
each The United States And Canada Temporarily banning entry of travelers from DRC, Uganda and South Sudan. gave US And other countries like India and Mexico Also strengthening public health screening and disease surveillance measures, particularly at airports. Some countries have mandated a 21-day quarantine period for his or her nationals getting back from the DRC.
Could it spread further, including Australia?
At this stage the danger of Ebola reaching Australia may be very low.
Australia has not imposed any travel or quarantine requirements for affected countries, but federal Health Minister Mark Butler says authorities are still monitoring the outbreak.Very closely“
Based on lessons from past outbreaks, there are three important approaches to current Central African outbreaks.
Without effective control measures, cases may increase in the approaching months. Some models It is usually recommended that by mid-May, there have been already 1,000 cases within the DRC, in comparison with the official figure of around 900 cases. Therefore, the actual variety of Ebola cases could also be much higher than officials consider.
In a more favorable scenario, a powerful public health response could bring this latest outbreak under control. This can be possible with the continued support of the international community, rapid vaccine development and community involvement.
However, probably the most realistic final result is that cases will proceed to extend before authorities successfully contain the present outbreak.
Nevertheless, the international community reacted in a short time to the outbreak, especially in comparison with the West African outbreak of 2014–16. It is what can save us from an outbreak of the identical catastrophic scale and price.