The variety of factors that contributed to the initial undetected spread of ebola virus disease in west africa during 202016 and the difficulty controlling the outbreak once the etiology was identified highlight priorities for disease prevention, detection, and response. Grenfella,h adepartment of ecology and evolutionary biology, princeton university, princeton, nj 08544. This article is an overview of the many published investigations of how ebola virus circulates in its natural environment, focusing on the viral reservoir, susceptible animal species, environmental conditions favoring interspecies transmission, and how. The existence of the ebola assay is a sign that the worlds ability to respond to outbreaks of the virus has. The western african ebola virus epidemic 202016 was the most widespread outbreak of ebola virus disease evd in historycausing major loss of life and socioeconomic disruption in the region, mainly in guinea, liberia and sierra leone. Africa s private sector brings capabilities that are not available in other institutions to the figh. Yambuku is a small village in mongala province in northern democratic republic of the congo, it was the center of the first documented outbreak of the ebola virus disease in 1976. Ebola treatment unit healthcare options h h h h h h h explore the issue 1. Officials said he was hospitalized with fever, nausea, pain, and fatigue. Shortly after the outbreak of ebola in guinea, when it seemed like bad news was the only news, unicefs office in guinea started to receive reports of something that.
Ebola fear causes stigma against west africans in u. The 2014 epidemic got as bad as it did in part because west africa had no real experience with ebola, and in part because the disease spread from rural areas to citiesin guinea, liberia, and. Among this summers grave global worries, the spread of the ebola virus has monopolized the discussion of subsaharan africa and reinvigorated hoary notions of disorder and despair at a time when a new image of a dynamic africa. Sep 18, 2014 the ebola outbreak overshadowed three key events affecting the region. Exposing the politics and culture of international aid. These factors include occurrence in a region recovering from civil instability and lacking experience with ebola. Ebola is also known as ebola virus disease evd or ebola hemorrhagic fever ehf. Yambuku is a small village in mongala province in northern democratic republic of the congo, best known as the center of the 1976 ebola outbreak.
Spatial and temporal dynamics of superspreading events in. What factors might have led to the emergence of ebola in west. With scary media reports coming from various parts of west africa as well as the united states and other places, it is no surprise that many travellers are concerned about ebola in south africa. It is 1,098 kilometres 682 mi northeast of the capital city of kinshasa. Mar 30, 2016 this statistic displays the number of cases and deaths due to ebola from the outbreak in west africa which lasts since 2014. As of april 5, koinadugu had not confirmed a new evd case in 22 days. Although this epidemic of ebolavirus disease is over. The test was developed during the disastrous 2014 ebola epidemic in west africa. The answer from health workers responding to an ebola outbreak in west africa that began last month is a qualified no. On october 23, craig spencer, a physician who treated ebola patients in west africa, tested positive for ebola at bellevue hospital center after having a 100.
The natural history of ebola virus in africa sciencedirect. It was predicted that the ebola outbreak in west africa would end in june 2015. Physical geography of west africa the 8 million square kilometers and 17 countries covered by this atlas encompass a wide range of landscapes from alluvial valleys in senegal and ghana, sandy plains and low plateaus across the sahel, and rolling hills of togo to rugged mountains with summits reaching over 1,500 m in guinea and 1,800 m in niger. In the ebola outbreak in west africa, the awardwining sierra leonean journalist, political activist and human rights advocate chernoh alpha m. Epidemiological features and trends of ebola virus disease in.
Ebola was first identified in 1976 near the ebola river in the country now known as the democratic republic of the congo. The ebola outbreak in west africa not only posed a huge threat to children and their families in infected countries but more widely to public health systems and communities on the continent. Ebola is a zoonotic filovirus that has the potential to cause outbreaks of variable magnitude in human populations. The landscape configuration of zoonotic transmission of. May 12, 2017 the outbreak is not linked to previous ebola flareups in congo, nor the one that tore through west africa in 2014, killing more than 11,000 people, said tarik jasarevic, a w.
Africas private sector brings capabilities that are not available in other institutions to the figh. Epidemiological features and trends of ebola virus disease. Effects of the west africa ebola virus disease on healthcare. An epidemiological analysis of ebola virus disease in west africa was performed based on 26 593 cases from march 2014 to may 2015. A comprehensive database of the geographic spread of past. To help put your mind at rest, the first thing that you need to know is that. A rudimentary map demonstrating that africa is not synonymous with the ebola virus has hit a nerve online there has only been one reported death outside of. Ebola outbreak reaches major city in congo, renewing calls. Hundreds of people have been killed in a mudslide near sierra leones capital, freetown. A man with ebola like symptoms who had recently been to west africa went to the. The specific geographic extent of the investigation was latitude 40 s, 35 n, and longitude 20 w, 60 e.
Martin salia, md, was exposed to ebola during his service treating patients in west africa. Ebola haemorrhagic fever in gabon 1994, 1996, 1997 and 20012002. Oct 10, 2016 on march 29, 2016, the who directorgeneral terminated the public health emergency of international concern for the ebola virus disease evd, an outbreak of hemorrhagic fever in west africa. A hillside in regent, a mountainous town 15 miles east of freetown. Ebola continues to spread in west africa photos the big. The department of homeland security dhs, through u. Department of geography medical, university of british columbia, 1984 west mall, vancouver, bc v6t 1z2, canada. Ofda ebola outbreak response in west africa ebola response evaluation, objective 1 effectiveness. Ebola returns, and central africas virus hunters are ready. The landscape configuration of zoonotic transmission of ebola. Body fluids of a person who is sick with or has died from ebola blood, vomit, pee, poop, sweat, semen, spit, other fluids 2. The 2014 ebola epidemic is the largest in history and has had a significant impact in multiple west african countries. The outbreak is not linked to previous ebola flareups in congo, nor the one that tore through west africa in 2014, killing more than 11,000 people, said tarik jasarevic, a. First, as a null model indicating complete spatial randomness, the outbreaks were.
Medical sciences spatial and temporal dynamics of superspreading events in the 20142015 west africa ebola epidemic max s. New reports show more than,000 people have been infected with the virus, almost all of them in west africa nearly. The ebola outbreak in west africa the new york times. Compared to the peak of the outbreak, the number of new cases per day has decreased by 92. Ebola outbreak in africa ends but gaps in public health. Describe the pattern of the outbreak in west africa. This statistic displays the number of cases and deaths due to ebola from the outbreak in west africa which lasts since 2014. Ebola hemorrhagic fever is an emerging zoonotic viral disease that historically has occurred in rural areas of central africa, with isolated cases identified elsewhere fig 1 and table 1.
Two weeks later, the brics brazil, russia, india, china, and south africa announced the establishment of the new development bank. Ebola cases and deaths due to outbreak in west africa 2016. Customs and border protection cbp, is engaged on a daily basis with its interagency partners to prepare for and respond to ebola and other potential threats to public health. The following month, a third patient arrived in the biocontainment unit. Jan 07, 2016 the 20 ebola outbreak across west africa brought into focus a major information gap that impeded effective response to the crisis a lack of reliable population maps koch, 2016. West africa ebola outbreak 2014 share week by week spread of ebola in west africa. Effects of the west africa ebola virus disease on health. Measuring the effectiveness of vast program components in a countrybycountry analysis is a complex process, requiring the careful triangulation of data. The western african ebola virus epidemic 202016 was the most widespread outbreak of ebola virus disease evd in historycausing major loss of life and. The world health organization is reporting 887 deaths from the worst outbreak of the ebola virus in history.
Ebola outbreak is declared in congo, with at least 3 dead. Four laboratoryconfirmed cases of ebola virus disease commonly known as ebola occurred in the united states in 2014. There are five ebola subspecies, four of which are known to cause the disease. An ongoing outbreak of ebola virus disease evd, the largest, most persistent ever documented, and the first in west africa, began in march 2014 in guinea, sierra leone, and liberia the affected countries and has spread to nigeria. Ebola returns, and central africas virus hunters are. Mukpo was declared ebola free and discharged later that month. The 20 ebola outbreak across west africa brought into focus a major information gap that impeded effective response to the crisis a lack of.
Evaluation of the usaidofda ebola virus disease outbreak. Aug 04, 2014 the world health organization is reporting 887 deaths from the worst outbreak of the ebola virus in history. What factors might have led to the emergence of ebola in. There is a hospital, but it has no radio, phone, or ambulances, and. The outbreak led to the discovery of a new species of ebola virus, namely ciebov le guenno et al. A neglected tropical disease article pdf available in asian pacific journal of tropical biomedicine 54. Jun 04, 2015 an ebola outbreak of unprecedented scope emerged in west africa in december 20 and presently continues unabated in the countries of guinea, sierra leone, and liberia. In each district, the assessment team met with the officials from district ebola response centers dercs to discuss the current situation. A hillside in regent, a mountainous town 15 miles east of freetown, collapsed in the early hours of. Several countries spanning the equatorial forest regions of africa have had outbreaks of ebola hemorrhagic fever over the last three decades.
The ebola outbreak has been building in west africa for a while, but when it was revealed at the end of last week that two american aid workers had caught the disease and that they were being. Now, studies are emerging on the magnitude of the indirect health effects of the outbreak in the affected countries, and the aim of this study is to systematically assess the results of these publications. West africa ebola outbreak largest ebola outbreak in. Ebola is not new to africa, and outbreaks have been confirmed as far back as 1976. On july 1, a major organizational restructuring at the world bank group was implemented. As of march 30, 2016, there have been 10,675 cases in liberia. Oct 23, 2014 ebola is a zoonotic filovirus that has the potential to cause outbreaks of variable magnitude in human populations.
As ebola spreads in africa, how worried should west be. Hundreds feared dead in sierra leone mudslide global. Geographic potential of disease caused by ebola and. In fact, there is still strong reason for optimism about the regions prospects the ebola outbreak overshadowed three key events affecting the. Aug 14, 2017 hundreds of people have been killed in a mudslide near sierra leones capital, freetown. Ending ebola the childrens investment fund foundation. Ebola continues to spread in west africa photos the. Perspectives on west africa ebola virus disease outbreak.
Mukpo was declared ebolafree and discharged later that month. Bah presents an indepth investigation that challenges the official narrative surrounding the origin and widespread transmission of the 2014 west african ebola epidemic one of the most catastrophic human tragedies in the twenty first century. The virus causes severe morbidity and high mortality in. Materials and methods this paper presents a variety of niche modelbased analyses of. This database collates our existing knowledge of all known human outbreaks of.