The Democratic Republic of the Congo, located in Central Africa, has been plagued by internal turmoil and misfortune. Whether it be the Rwandan Genocide or other horrific events, the country cannot seem to catch a break. Now, the country faces a new problem, one that could be considered scarier than violence, and this problem is an Ebola outbreak.
Ebola is a virus that primarily breaks out in Africa and has haunted the continent for ages. Once contracted, the disease is extremely fatal and has no official cure, but is somewhat preventable through vaccines.
Sophomore Aidan Holmes said, when hearing about the outbreak, that, “This virus is extremely scary. No human deserves to contract such a deadly disease, and I feel especially sorry for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
The outbreak began a couple of weeks ago, and since then, there have been 800 reported cases and more than a hundred deaths. This has also drawn the attention of the World Health Organization, which declared it a public health emergency internationally. This virus, however, stems from a different strain, known as the Bundibugyo virus, distinct from the Zaire ebolavirus that previously terrorized countries.
Diagnosing the disease has also proven to be an extremely difficult task. Symptoms of the virus include a fever and headache at the beginning of the fight with Ebola. Still, they can progress to rashes, unexplained bruising, impaired kidney function, and finally an impacted central nervous system. Currently, testing kits have been difficult to find, and quick tools often fail to detect the disease, which contributed to the rapid outbreak.
Sophomore Graham Frank explained, “The conditions must be unimaginable. In a place that has faced such immense hardship, fighting the virus must prove to be impossible.”
Frank is correct, as the hotspot of the virus is located in Ituri, a war-torn province. Due to the poor infrastructure and lack of resources, healthcare is difficult to uphold, as communities are displaced, and the amount of aid provided is scarce due to concerns over safety. Health centers are also understaffed and lack the necessary supplies to combat Ebola.
The virus provides a serious threat to global health, as cases have been confirmed in Uganda. With the rapid spread, Ebola could become an international issue. However, as the world rapidly advances, healthcare centers will do everything in their power to rid the world of this awful disease.
