"Ebola: is it under control or is it out of control?"

Media around the world are following news of the Ebola outbreak, but Lyn-Marie Blackman, 27, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Barbados, says the crisis is not necessarily restricted to African countries.

The Ebola virus has been diagnosed here! Doctor and health workers have been infected with deadly Ebola virus in African state! Doctor has died from Ebola virus! Vaccine for Ebola being developed!

These are some of the headlines that we have been seeing of late in regard to the Ebola virus. Our newspapers, radio and television broadcasts have been littered with the mention of the Ebola virus. However, is Ebola under control or out of control?

Ebola is a deadly virus that has the potential to kill 90 per cent of those infected. It damages the immune system and has the propensity to cause bleeding inside and outside the body. It first appeared on the scene in Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan in 1976, but the world has seen the resurgence of the virus in March 2014 in Guinea[1]. So far the virus has been occurring in African states – mainly Liberia, Senegal, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea and Sierra Leone. It is so sad to hear and see the havoc that this virus has been causing and will continue to cause if not brought under control shortly.

Those of us who live outside of Africa may be saying to ourselves that we have nothing to be afraid of because we do not live there and a vaccine is in the works. However, are thoughts that reflect such sentiments really valid? While the vaccine is being developed, people are travelling and dying. According to online data, Ebola has an incubation period of 2 to 21 days so in essence someone who has been in these African states can travel to our respective countries. This swift travel and potential transmission of the virus can affect us all.

So is Ebola under control or out of control? This is a question that is going to be relative to the person who chooses to answer it. However, since I posed the question let me answer it so that further discussion can ensue. I believe Ebola has the potential to become out of control. We have seen other viruses like Chikungunya and Zika – both mosquito borne illnesses – migrating from one place to another.

Therefore, let’s not become complacent regarding Ebola. This is not a scare tactic I am deploying here; I am just being a health advocate who seeks to make people aware of the reality that this is not the time to be wearing the cloak of complacency, thinking it can’t happen in my country.

[1] http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/

photo credit: EU Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection via photopin cc

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

About me: I am a conservative and articulate individual with an innate desire to see love, peace and unity triumph. My interests lie in medical research. I enjoy researching medical news from around the world and reporting it in my monthly newsletter entitled L.I.F.E.

I love biomedical science and believe it holds the key to a healthier society. I aspire to become a medical researcher and writer. My focus now is obtaining more exposure for my newsletters: L.I.F.E. and The Believer.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Commonwealth Youth Programme. Articles are published in a spirit of dialogue, respect and understanding. If you disagree, why not submit a response?
To learn more about becoming a Commonwealth Correspondent please visit: http://www.yourcommonwealth.org/submit-articles/commonwealthcorrespondents/
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………