The Causes and Effects of Ebola

Running head: THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF EBOLA
The Causes and Effects of Ebola
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THE CAUSE AND EFFECT OF EBOLA 2
Introduction
The World Health Organization on March 23, 2014, reported many cases arising from the Ebola
Virus Disease in the rural area of Southern Guinea. The earlier identification and recognition of
these cases marked the start of the Ebola Epidemic well-recognized in history. The West African
countries such as Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia were having a rough time in try to control the
increasing outbreak of the due rampant fear among people, and there were also inadequate health
systems to provide care to the infected people. According to the World Health Organization
(WHO) fear arose among people due to the transmission of the Ebola virus such that patients
with symptomatic were running away from the treatment units, families were also hiding their
loved ones in their homes, there was also physical contact with the infectious corpses and other
sought the traditional healers (Chan, 2014). In this essay, however, the focus will be on the
causes and effects from this disease during the outbreak and in the later years.
The Cause of Ebola
Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a non-fatal and rare infection which mainly caused by a single
strain of the Ebola virus. The virus is transmitted to human beings from wild animals and later
spread to the populace through human-to-human transmission. The first Ebola Virus Disease
outbreak was witnessed in 2014-2016 in the remote villages in Central Africa especially in West
Africa both major rural areas and urban areas. In these regions, Ebola aroused fear since people
witnessed how the manifestations of the bodies of the people who have died and those who were
infected (Dixon, & Schafer, 2014).
Bleeding patients and Corpses

THE CAUSE AND EFFECT OF EBOLA 3
During this period, one of the major causes for the spread of this disease was the bleeding
patients and the corpses who posed severe infection risks to family members and healthcare
workers. The majority of the healthcare workers and the family members got the virus as they
were taking care of the sick patients. In December 2014 about 649 health workers became
infected while 365 of them died.
Insufficient Treatment Units
Another cause of the disease during the outbreak was the inadequacy treatment units when the
outbreak of the diseases was at its peak, thus due to the limited treatment units the family
members of the victim risked their lives to provide care for the infected without using any
protection.
Myths and Misinformation
Thirdly, the spread was also attributed by the misinformation any myths which were being
driven by the news report and the lack of public messaging. A good example is the rumours
which were circulating that the global medical groups were spreading Ebola intentionally. The
identified have contributed to the outbreak of the disease in the years then especially on the
spread of wrong information and the defective treatment units that forced family members to
provide care for their loved ones without protecting increasing the spread of the disease.
The Effect
Affecting the Functionality of the Society