Ebola Outbreak has Grown into a World Crisis

20 Oct 2014 by Olga Brighton

World Travel Insurance News

Ebola disease was firstly discovered in 1976 and but it wasn’t until 2014 it made the whole world be concerned about it. The outbreak was reported in March this year taking the lives of hundreds. By October it spread to five countries namely Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and the United States. Reportedly, up to 5 thousand people died from Ebola this year making it the deadliest occurrence of this disease.

The World Health Organisation and the United Nations health agency directed their efforts and experts to help curing those infected and to stop Ebola spreading. But despite long joint work of dozens health organisations, Margaret Chan, the World Health Organisation director general stated last month that the “number of patients is moving far faster than the capacity to manage them”.

ebola outbreak 2014

Leading medical experts fighting to contain Ebola spreading agree that the only successful way to cope with this deadly disease creating a vaccine. There exist some testing versions of it but they still need to be proven effective. Unfortunately, the process is not quick and the final results are to appear only next year. Many countries around the globe work hard investing in research projects to fasten the trial periods of vaccines against Ebola compressing them from 10 years period to only 12 month.

Ebola virus spreads through human-to-human transmission via direct contact with broken skin, blood, secretions and with surfaces contaminated with any body fluids of an infected person. The incubation period lasts from 2 days to 3 weeks and during this period when symptoms develop the infected person do not transmit the virus. First symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, sore throat and headache. The next stage is detected by vomiting, rash, sometimes internal or external bleeding.

It is strongly recommended to be alert, listen to your body symptoms and contact the doctor in case of any suspicion. Avoid any trips to the regions where Ebola is spread even if it was reported as eliminated there. Find out which precautions to take in order to not get infected and always get covered by a reliably insurance policy to cope with the unforeseen events.

Read also: When Should You Buy Travel Insurance?

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