Davis 1
Justin Davis
Dr. King
English 1102
October 16, 2014
An Epidemic Named Ebola
For several years a disease has ravaged the world, by claiming the lives of a vast numbers
of people. This disease has taken loved ones from all over the globe, and it is still happening
today. This disease is known as the Ebola hemorrhagic fever, or simply Ebola. This deadly
disease has been attacking since its first emergence in 1972, and has continued to appear through
the world at various times. The most recent occurrence was in 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. The
incident pertained to two patients brought from South Africa where they ended up contracting
the deadly virus known as Ebola. Their arrival into the United States sparked a dispute that split
a vast majority of the nation’s citizens against themselves.
On the one hand some people saw these United States Aid workers as people who needed
help, and knew the disease would not spread. While on the other side of the argument, citizens
argued that the Ebola patients were a threat to everyone in the nation by simply being here. Both
sides were equally justified in their views on the deadly Ebola disease entrance into the United
States. Although most everyday Atlantans assert that most of the panic concerning Ebola is real,
well informed citizens know that whether or not to treat with people in the United States is
mainly over reactive fear, sensationalized by the media, and being kept in check by the great
workers at Emory Hospital. To understand both sides of the argument one must first understand
all aspects that make up the Ebola virus. This means understanding how Ebola attacks the body,
how Ebola manages to spread, and the history of this deadly disease.
Davis 2
The first documented case of the Ebola strain has been traced as far back as August 1976.
It first emerged in a small rural village, then known as Zaire. There the village was plagued by
this disease after a schoolteacher contracted the disease while on his travels. While in the
beginning the man’s symptoms were merely a fever and headache they quickly developed. Soon
the schoolteacher’s was admitted into the local hospital “His symptoms progressed to a full–
blown viral hemorrhagic fever with soaring temperature, severe abdominal pain, diarrhea,
vomiting, muscle cramps, and generalized bleeding (Crawford, 44).” Within the following days
the man soon died from the Ebola virus attacking his body. Following the schoolteacher’s death
is when the disease began to spread amongst his hospital staff, and his loved ones. With the
disease spreading it quickly infected three hundred eighteen of the villagers, but thankfully only
two hundred eighty of them lost their life to the virus. It was because of Ebola that many United
State citizens feared the outbreak spreading in 2014. With the history, and track record of Ebola
this led to an outbreak of mass panic of the patients coming into the states.
This initial attack of Ebola would eventually lead to spark a worldwide interest in the
disease. According to Oldstone “At that time public health officials sought travelers to Europe or
other countries who had been in the Kikwit region during the time of the outbreak and who
might be incubating the Ebola virus (Oldstone, 132).” Fear of the new Ebola disease spreading
even lead to a family being quarantined in England, until their blood could be analyzed.
However it is thought that the original number was an underestimation of the number of people
who lost their life to this disease. The reason being is most people fearing the disease would
never enter the city in fear of catching the disease, and often times these were the people who
died in their own villages.
Davis 3
This spread of Ebola would eventually continue to spread to the city of Kinshasa “Like
the Ebola outbreak in 1976 in villages along the Ebola River 500 miles to the north of Kikwit,
when nine of every ten residents who became infected died, Ebola virus again made its mark
along the Kinshasa Highway (Oldstone, 131).”
While some suppose that knowledge of this epidemic would deter tourist from coming
into the city. This, however, was merely the beginning of the deadly virus attack on the world.
Another case of Ebola also emerged during the year of 1976; a patient in Sudan was infected
with the Ebola disease “A quiet, unassuming man named Mr. Yu. G. became ill and died an
agonizing bloody death. From him the virus radiated outward, infecting friends, mistresses, and
family members (Zimmerman, 124)”. Still no one knew that this deadly virus was Ebola. It was
originally thought to be the Marburg virus, and it was for this reason the disease managed to
spread a little further. The virus soon began to progress further, infecting other civilians, and
loved ones.
After the Ebola strain had ran its course at least fifty percent of the people had lost their
lives to the virus. However there are many reports that the number of reported cases of the Ebola
epidemic was a gross underestimation of the true tragedy that had occurred to these people, and
their loved ones. This outbreak of Ebola was quickly put under control with help by the World
Health Organization. By quarantining the affecting villagers, sterilizing medical equipment, and
providing clothes to people that would add extra protection from the virus the outbreak was
quickly controlled. Like a storm it ripped through the village destroying homes, Ebola decimated
the unfortunate enough to come across its path.
Davis 4
Roughly almost 20 years later another case of Ebola struck in the Democratic Republic of
Congo affecting almost 315, while also taking the lives of 254 people. The virus continued to
surface for many of the following years. However, it was not until this year, 2014, that the world
saw an explosion of cases regarding Ebola.
However this would not be the end of Ebola infected citizens of the United States being
flown back home to be treated for the disease. Because of these recent outbreaks of Ebola the
government has decided to take some form of action. Even now there are at least 5,232 cases that
are suspected to be caused by the Ebola virus. However, this time there are new prevention
methods being implemented in order to stop the spread of this rising epidemic. With the World
Health Organization, and various other groups putting together Ebola treatment centers to better
