Ebola, a Virus on the Rise

This.
             strain was named Ebola Reston. This outbreak was traced to monkeys that had.
             been imported from the Philippines. The monkeys infected four humans, but this.
             strain of Ebola was found only to give humans flu-like symptoms (World Health Organization).
             From January through August of 1995 there was a major outbreak in and.
             around Kikwit, Zaire. In this outbreak there was a mortality rate of 77%, with.
             315 cases and 244 deaths. In May of 1995 the city was put under quarantine and.
             troops monitored it. On July 14, 1995, the last reported victim of Ebola was.
             discharged from the hospital. Health officials waited twice the maximum.
             incubation period and on August 24, 1995, 42 days after the last reported victim.
             recovered, the outbreak was declared over and the quarantine was lifted (World Health Organization).
             On December 19, 1995, a small Ebola scare in the Cote d'Ivoire/Liberia.
             border region was declared over. In this small outbreak only one person was.
             infected, but he survived. Mr. Jasper Chea was infected with the virus while.
             dissecting a dead monkey. He recovered in a local hospital. This new strain of.
             Ebola was called Ebola Tai (World Health Organization).
             The most recent Ebola outbreak was officially declared over after two.
             incubation periods without any other new cases on April 23, 1996. This outbreak.
             of the disease occurred in Gabon, Africa. This outbreak resulted in 21 deaths.
             out of 37 cases, a 57% fatality rate (World Health Organization).
             Fortunately, there aren't many causes for the spread or infection of the Ebola virus, though 99.9% of the time the Ebola virus is spread in only a few distinct ways. "The virus can spread either through the air when someone who is infected is outside breathing in and out oxygen or by exposure to the contaminated blood of infected humans"(Oldstone 132). To know that a virus of Ebola's magnitude can spread through the air and infect you is pretty scary due to the fact that you can be leading a normal life one-minute and the next minute you're dead! The Ebola virus is one of the more notably underestimated viruses of its kind.