Is Ebola still a threat?
Today, the case counts for a new epidemic in Uganda are dropping. So, is Ebola still a threat to public health?
When the Ebola virus first emerged in West Africa in 2014, it quickly became a global health concern. The virus spread rapidly and caused unprecedented devastation in countries that lacked the resources to contain it. In late 2015, the World Health Organization declared the epidemic over but did not consider the threat of Ebola to be completely eliminated. Today, the case counts for a new epidemic in Uganda are dropping. So, is Ebola still a threat to public health?
To answer this question we must look at how globalization, development, and medical advances have impacted our understanding of this deadly disease. It can be argued that due to its highly contagious nature and lack of treatment options available at the time of its onset, Ebola poses an ongoing risk to public health. On the other hand, some experts believe that with improved detection measures and preventive strategies in place, Ebola is no longer a significant concern for many regions. Let’s take a closer look at both sides of this argument.
On one hand, it has been suggested that despite our improved knowledge about how the virus spreads and its devastating consequences on communities with limited resources, Ebola remains a considerable threat to global health security because new cases are still being reported in some parts of Africa. For instance, between 2018-2019 there were numerous outbreaks reported across several countries including Guinea-Bissau and Uganda which led to hundreds of deaths. Such occurrences demonstrate that even though scientific research has increased our understanding of the virus’ transmission methods and potential treatments for those infected by it; if left unchecked it can cause catastrophic damage.
Furthermore, nearly two decades after its initial outbreak West African nations are still struggling with economic recovery due to their inability to contain the disease when it first arrived in 2014. This demonstrates how difficult it can be for poorer countries devastated by such epidemics to adequately rebuild their healthcare systems while simultaneously managing current threats posed by diseases such as Ebola. Therefore suggesting that although technological advancements have made detecting new cases easier – long-term effects from previous outbreaks still linger making prevention more important than ever before. On the other hand, however, some experts argue that despite occasional outbreaks happening currently – improvements made in terms of medical technology have meant that fewer people are dying from infections associated with this dreaded disease than ever before. For example, through better diagnostics like RT-PCR testing quick identification has become possible increasing survival rates, especially when combined with early supportive care.
Additionally, countries like Sierra Leone have implemented innovative solutions such as using text messages during contact tracing meaning those exposed can receive timely advice on safety precautions. Moreover, recent trials undertaken suggest promising results involving treatments such as monoclonal antibodies which could further reduce mortality rates associated with infections caused by this virus. This provides hope since such therapies could potentially provide care even when the diagnosis is delayed or unavailable due to issues faced by developing nations facing similar epidemics – like poor transport infrastructure or inadequate access to quality healthcare services.
All these findings suggest that modern-day scientific progress has rendered many ailments posed by this virus less severe than previously believed back when threatened entire populations within West Africa shortly after its emergence years ago; which means individuals may now face greater chances if contracting said disease decreasing any direct effect on public health significantly.
To conclude, while evidence supports both claims regarding whether or not ebola represents an immediate danger to public health–one thing we know for certain is that tackling infectious diseases requires concerted efforts from society as a whole, particularly from governments tasked with managing possible outbreaks-now more than ever given challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately only time will tell if we collectively rise up against threats presented by viruses such as Ebola so future generations may live without fear from echoes of present past epidemics.
Although developments made medically have helped reduce risks associated with infection - ongoing vigilance must remain a priority if we wish to maintain control over contagion cycles posed by novel viruses threatening the world order today.