Why Ebola is Back in Guinea and Why the Response Must be Different This Time
Despite everyone’s best efforts, Ebola has surfaced once again in Guinea, Africa. The disease has been in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) most recently. Vaccinations and containment efforts were focused on this area, which leads to the isolation of the virus. Cases have dropped greatly in the area since last year. Though the reason explaining why there is an outbreak in Guinea is unclear, it is known that the disease comes from infected animal’s blood and tissue.
Based upon previous encounters with Ebola, people know what protective measures to take in order to slow its spread. Confinement of the area is crucial. Because of COVID-19 efforts in minimal human contact, it is easier to keep the area under lockdown. However, the pandemic has also made it more difficult to get the resources needed to stop cases from rising.
Scientists are conducting experiments trying to find the source of these outbreaks. West and Central Africa have both had severe bursts of Ebola cases in the past, but only one strain has been identified. Researchers are taking numerous factors into consideration when running these tests. The hope in finding the source of the disease is to develop a stronger vaccine and to prevent outbreaks in the future.