Why Was the Ebola Epidemic So Deadly? Case Study

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Ebola: History And Analysis of the Current Outbreak

The spread of Ebola has been much-publicized in the media, due to the fact "the current outbreak in West Africa, (first cases notified in March 2014), is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976. There have been more cases and deaths in this outbreak than all others combined" ("Ebola, 2014). This paper will summarize contributing factors behind the epidemic, suggesting that in addition to biological characteristics of the pathogen, critical structural deficits in the health system in Africa are also contributing to its spread.

The nature of Ebola

According to the World Health Organization's fact sheet on the disease, the Ebola virus was first identified in 1976 during two simultaneous outbreaks, one in the Sudan and the other in the Congo. The virus is believed to have originated in the fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family and entered the human population "through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest" ("Ebola, 2014). Human-to-human transmission occurs through the transmission of bodily fluids. Symptoms include a "sudden onset of fever fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from the gums, blood in the stools)" ("Ebola, 2014). Death is possible as a result of contracting Ebola.

Underlying issues

The hardest-hit countries have some of the least developed health infrastructures in Africa.

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The nature of the disease requires strict adherence to infection control protocols. "Health-care workers have frequently been infected while treating patients with suspected or confirmed EVD. This has occurred through close contact with patients when infection control precautions are not strictly practiced" ("Ebola, 2014). Additionally, traditional burial practices have facilitated the spread of Ebola, given that they require close contact with the deceased person.

Challenges of global governance

WHO has been criticized for its handling of the initial outbreak. The "virus easily outran the plodding response. The WHO, an arm of the United Nations, is responsible for coordinating international action in a crisis like this, but it has suffered budget cuts, has lost many of its brightest minds and was slow to sound a global alarm on Ebola" (Sun et al. 2014). There was "a disconnect between the aspirations of global health officials and the reality of infectious disease control. Officials hold faraway strategy sessions about fighting emerging diseases and bioterrorism even as front-line doctors and nurses don't have enough latex gloves, protective gowns, rehydrating fluid or workers to carry bodies to the morgue" (Sun et al. 2014). The lack of knowledge about the reality of the poor healthcare infrastructure led to recommendations that may have been sound medically but countries lacked the ability to fully implement them, based upon the resources available.

The high rate of transmission to healthcare workers who volunteered their time to help the sick created a climate of fear outside of Africa rather than inspired donations and aid to help the affected population. A doctor at a hospital in Liberia contracted the illness simply by touching the forehead of.....

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