After a trip to Guinea and the DRC (Congo), four people returned to the US and are now being monitored by public health professionals in Oregon after they suspected they might have been exposed to the virus. Even though some countries in West Africa are dealing with an Ebola virus outbreak, health professionals in Oregon believe that the four people they’re monitoring weren’t at a high risk of exposure. 

What is Ebola 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies the Ebola virus as a fatal viral disease that’ll at times have outbreaks, primarily in the western regions of Africa. 

The Ebola virus commonly affects humans and primates like chimpanzees, monkeys, and gorillas. A virus infection in the genus Ebolavirus is what causes this viral disease. Out of approximately six viruses in this particular genus, only four are believed to cause disease in people. Symptoms like gastrointestinal complications, weakness, muscular pain, severe headaches, fever, and, of course, unexplained hemorrhaging commonly occur after around 2 to 21 days of exposure. 

Ebola Today

Although hearing about Ebola cases is rare, if you leave it untreated, it can prove fatal. 

WHO’s emergencies chief, Dr. Michael Ryan, there are around 18 active Ebola cases in Guinea to date. Public health professionals believe that the most recent Ebola virus cases were caused by an individual who survived the devastating 2014 West Africa Ebola virus epidemic. The WHO sent approximately 30,000 Ebola vaccines to Guinea and additional therapeutic support to DRC.

The 2014 Ebola virus outbreak ravaged many parts of West Africa, taking the lives of over 11,000 patients. However, Dr. Ryan claims that there’s a lot more research that needs to be done so that people can understand this virus better.