What’s Going On With Ebola?

The first man to bring Ebola into the United states was Patrick Sawyer (at the age of 40). He later died 5 days after being in a Nigerian Hospital on July 20. Mr. Sawyer was a top official in the Liberian Ministry of Finance. He was the first American to die from the outbreak. He got Ebola in Liberia. There are around fifty-nine people identified, so far, that came into contact with Patrick. About twenty of those people have been tested for the Ebola virus.

After a while the Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, closed most of Liberia’s borders. She also placed restrictions on social/public gatherings and ordered restaurants, hotels, and other entertainment venues to play a 5 minute video on Ebola safety.

It is quite unlikely for someone to “catch” Ebola on an airplane. For this to occur unless a passenger (or anyone for that matter) comes into contact with the sick person’s bodily fluids. American Health Care workers are putting themselves at risk by treating people with Ebola. Dr. Kent Brantly, age 33, was treating patients with Ebola in Monrovia, Liberia and he then caught the virus.

Christensen, Jen. “Liberia Closes Its Borders to Stop Ebola.” CNN. Cable News Network, 1 Aug. 2014. Web. 5 Oct. 2014. <http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/28/health/ebola-outbreak-west-africa/>.

Wilson, Jacque, John Newsome, Jen Christensen, and Greg Botelho. “Ebola Fears Hit Close to Home.” CNN. Cable News Network, 1 July 2014. Web. 5 Oct. 2014. <http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/29/health/ebola-outbreak-american-dies/>.

Wilson, Jacque. “Who Are the American Ebola Patients?” CNN. Cable News Network, 1 Aug. 2014. Web. 5 Oct. 2014. <http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/06/health/american-ebola-patients/?cid=ob_articlesidebarall&iref=obinsite>.