By: Jasmine King
The first Ebola outbreak was in 1976, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa.The initial onset included more than 318 cases. Although there have been a few more reported cases in Africa since then, it did not become a main topic of discussion until it reached the United States in September of 2014.
The first reported case of Ebola in the United States was in a gentleman in Dallas, Texas, who had recently taken a trip to Liberia. His symptoms did not present until four days after his return home.
Unfortunately, he died on October 8, 2014, just eight days after his diagnosis. Since then, there have been three other reported cases of Ebola, two of which have recovered and are doing well.
Symptoms of Ebola include unexplained bleeding in rare places and muscle weakness. There are five types of this illness: the Ebola Virus, the Sudan Virus, the Tai Forest Virus, the Bundibugyo Virus and the Reston Virus. Diagnosis may be hard because the early symptoms include fever, fatigue, diarrhea and stomach pain, common symptoms for other illnesses.
A vaccine has not yet been developed, but treatments include having intravenous fluids tested, balancing electrolytes and monitoring oxygen and blood pressure levels. The best way to prevent infection is to not come into physical contact with an infected individual, especially through bodily fluids, and to practice good everyday hygiene.
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