The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in West Africa to be a public health emergency of international concern, but that doesnāt mean you should panic. Hereās why:
The common cold is more contagious than Ebola
Ebola is not airborne and it doesnāt spread very efficiently among humans, says Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Pittsburgh.
āEbola is an infectious disease thatās very deadly and strikes fear into peopleās minds when they think of it. However, itās not very contagious,ā he told Ā鶹“«Ć½ Channel Friday.
āThe only way that you can get Ebola is through exposure to blood and bodily fluids. This isnāt influenza, it isnāt the common cold, this isnāt measles ā you canāt get it through the air.ā
Canadian public health officials have made the same assurances as the outbreak grows in West Africa.
dCPHO: Based on current evidence, is NOT transmitted person to person via airborne route.
ā Public Health PHAC (@PHAC_GC)
North America is well-equipped to handle Ebola infections
According to doctors and aid workers on the ground, one of the biggest contributors to the spread of Ebola in four African countries was the lack of basic medical equipment and supplies, such as gloves and clean needles.
Preventing the spread of Ebola requires simple measures, Adalja said. That includes isolating infected people, monitoring those whoāve been in contact with them and wearing protective gloves and gowns while caring for the sick and handling dead bodies. Those are all standard practices in all Canadian and U.S. hospitals.
We know how to stop from spreading w/ basic epi & response: find disease, isolate patients, trace/monitor contacts & stop exposure.
ā Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrFriedenCDC)
Canadian health officials have learned valuable lessons from the 2003 SARS outbreak, which spread from China to Canada and other parts of the world. The domestic and international response to SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, shaped Canadaās current public health policies.
Canada is also prepared to stop Ebola from entering the country. among travellers and the Quarantine Act allows them to detain and examine anyone suspected of having an infectious disease.
Taking precautions is easy and simple
Take note of the and avoid parts of the world affected by the outbreak. Wash your hands frequently. If you must travel to areas with known Ebola cases, avoid close contact with sick individuals and avoid both live and dead animals, which can spread the virus.
