The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is still very much in the news. Most news articles keep stressing that it is unlikely to reach the U.S. and downplay any threats. On the other hand, the CDC has released guidelines for hospitals should an infected person were to present himself. New projections estimate that 500,000 may be infected by the end of January. (Note: Since the article was written, the estimates have now been revised to 1.4 million)
Consider for a moment what could happen when a person who appears to have flu-like symptoms but has Ebola were to go the emergency room.
We’ve been watching the news about the spread of the Ebola virus in Africa for months now. As I write this, a lot of people are concerned that the virus is making it’s way to the U.S. as two of the victims, American health workers who have contracted the disease are being brought to a hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) in a recent speech, stated, “…this outbreak is moving faster than our efforts to control it. If the situation continues to deteriorate, the consequences can be catastrophic in terms of lost lives but also severe socioeconomic disruption and a high risk of spread to other countries.”