“LAST KNOWN EBOLA PATIENT IN LIBERIA ISDISCHARGED”

David Liu

“THE EBOLA FIGHTERS”

TIME picked the Ebola Fighters for their 2014 Person of the Year

THE LAST PATIENT(?)

On March 5, Beatrice Yardolo left an Ebola treatment centerThis brought Liberia’s total cases down to 0

THE COUNTDOWNLiberia has to remain Ebola free until April 4This is a 42 day wait from the last infectionThe delay is twice as long as Ebola’s incubation period

BACKGROUND ON EBOLA

First appeared in 1976 in present day South SudanNamed in what is currently the Democratic Republic of CongoCurrent outbreak originated in Guinea, in late 2013

WHY IS IT SO BAD?

Many causesPoor healthcareDistrust in governmentBurial traditionsUrban areas

THE FIGHT IS NOT OVER

Sierra Leone and Guinea have seen a recent spike of infectionsSeveral health workers have been infectedOthers workers have been attacked by the peopleIt could potentially happen in Liberia

BUT IT CAN BE STOPPEDThe WHO said that the outbreak could be ended by summerBut there needs to be international supportHealth workers have the tactics and facilitiesBut they still need to establish trust with the people

PARALLELS WITH ANTI-VACCINE MOVEMENT

One reason for the lethality of Ebola was due to distrustPeople refused to seek treatmentSimilarly, some people are unwilling to use vaccinesThis could potentially lead to an outbreak

EDUCATIONThe outbreak could have been prevented through educationThe world was also slow to respond to the outbreakMany irrational actions were taken

THE FUTUREIf people can trust the health workersAnd if people can be educatedThe outbreak can end by the end of summerBut if people hide, what good will aid do for them?