(Image source from: Worst Ebola outbreak in history hits Africa})
West Africa is hit by the worst Ebola virus outbreak in history with nations like Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone among the worst affected. More than 1201 people have been infected and 672 have died in the deadly Ebola outbreak. Two U.S. doctors too contracted Ebola whole treating the infected. In fact, the doctor who led the fight against Ebola in Sierra Leone, Dr Khan, died last day after contracting the virus.
The highly contagious Ebola virus spread after an infected man in Liberia flew from West Africa to Lagos, Nigeria.
A potentially fatal condition, this disease can lead to internal and external bleeding from eyes, ears, mouth, nose and rectum. Symptoms often resemble flu signs, marked by fever, acute weakness, muscle ache, head ache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, impaired kidney, and weird liver function. Symptoms often surface 8-0 days after the infection sets in and those infected often report low white blood cell and platelet counts.
No cure had been found yet to stop this deadly virus from spreading. The only treatment for this is “supportive therapy.” But given that 90 per cent of those who has contracted this virulent disease have died, the treatment doesn't seem adequate. If you are wondering what Ebola is, know that it is a type of bacteria hosted by the fruit bat. Right now, it's been treated as the invisible killer.
The real challenge, however, lies for the doctors since the risks and the physical toll it entails is enormous. To minimize the risk of infection, the doctors have to take up proper precaution, wear thick rubber boots, an impermeable body suit, gloves, a face mask, a hood and goggles to make sure that none of their body parts are exposed to the contaminated air around.
The doctors lose around five litres of sweat everyday, trying to treat patients wearing warm body suits, and later, have to rush to rehydrate them, since the conditions there is extremely gruelling. The doctors and everyone at the camp has to undertake multiple decontaminations.
AW: Suchorita Choudhury
