Ebola Outbreak Remains Uncontained, Fears Rise Outside of Africa

The raging Ebola outbreak in central Africa remains uncontained, and fears outside of Africa are rising as cases continue to spread.

This year's Ebola outbreak, spurred by a lack of humanitarian aid and continuously poor living conditions, has ravaged the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The mineral-rich region has recently come under on-and-off control of the M23 rebels, allegedly backed by the neighboring Uganda, further complicating matters.

Ebola is a specific type of virus that remains undetected for long periods of time, but rapidly affects the immune system once symptoms kick in. The virus prompts the body to generate a hazardous number of cytokines – a crucial cell of the immune system – leading to severe tissue damage and inflammation. Ebola also directly attacks blood vessels, causing significant drops in blood pressure, in addition to causing internal and external bleeding due to excess blood clotting. Meanwhile, the virus also causes fluid loss in the body's major organs, leading to severe dehydration. As a whole, symptoms can also include nausea, vomiting, high fever, and fatigue.

At least 282 cases and 42 deaths have been confirmed in the DRC, but estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that the numbers could be much higher– with the number of suspected cases as high as 1,000. Meanwhile, Ebola has also begun to spread eastward into Uganda, with local authorities confirming at least nine cases and one death. The WHO has confirmed the outbreak to be a public health emergency.

Unfortunately, one of the primary reasons behind this year's outbreak is that scientists don't know much about this virus. Ebola has multiple mutations, but one of the rarest is a strain known as Bundibugyo– it maintains a lower fatality rate than other strains, between 25% and 40%, but there is no vaccine for the mutation. Scientists and pharmaceutical companies worldwide are now scrambling to create a vaccine for Bundibugyo, but the process could take months or even years.

In addition to this, a waning aid supply from major benefactors like the United States has significantly decreased the resources available to health officials and first responders, leading to massive shortages. The Trump administration shut down the USAID program last year as part of efforts to reduce national debt and minimize corruption, and the US withdrew from the World Health Organization in January.

Many locals also fail to understand Ebola's ability to spread incredibly quickly– the virus can spread through any bodily fluid, such as saliva, vomit, sweat, and blood. Patients can also contract the virus by touching contaminated materials, leading to an even bigger demand for disposable health products in the region.

Thankfully, the situation appears to be beginning to improve. The outbreak is slowly coming under control, and at least five patients successfully recovered from the virus and were discharged in the Congolese city of Bunia. The region's airports were finally allowed to reopen several days ago after the implementation of proper safety screening, ensuring that the local economy remains operational. Screening areas have also been set up across various airports in countries like the United States, Brazil, and member states of the European Union.

However, the possibility of the virus spreading to other nations has also become a concern. The only reported case outside of central Africa was found in a medical official from Germany, who tested positive at a local airport upon returning home. Two other suspected cases were discovered in Brazil, but the passengers ended up testing positive for meningitis and malaria, respectively. Another man arriving in Italy from the region was found with some symptoms, but he tested negative for Ebola.

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