Tag Archives: Ebola

American Ebola arrives at Emory in Atlanta

9/10/2014

My article was about more people that have contracted the Ebola virus going to other countries. According to the article, a male US citizen who contracted the Ebola virus from Sierra Leone arrived at the Emory Hospital. He was seen to be healthy, able to walk with the help of others. This man was taken from Africa in an air ambulance said the State Department. Then the article moves on talking about more patients that have contracted the virus from other African countries such as Liberia and Nigeria.

The statistics are introduced next by stating that 4200 cases of Ebola have been reported since the first documented case in December. The fatality count has surpassed 2200 and many officials believe that the number to extremely under-reported. Thus, they believe that the current epidemic is a dire emergency with the possibility of becoming the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history.

Also, WHO stated that the rapid spread of the virus in Liberia shows no sign of slowing. “The number of new cases is increasing exponentially,” WHO said, calling the situation a “dire emergency with … unprecedented dimensions of human suffering.”

Then, the article talks about the current status of the Western African nations that are under the effect of the virus. Liberian citizens are facing a crisis where no beds in hospitals are available for the infected. They have reported that taxis are filled with refugees trying to leave the contaminated areas. According to one of the WHO officials, as soon as a new Ebola treatment facility is opened, they are expecting it to be filled immediately.

Due to demanding requests of aid from Western Africa, the US has decided to remedy the situation by sending them $10 million additional funds. Thus, it has added more on top of $100 million the US has already sent to help fight the outbreak. The new funds will help pay for the additional 100 staff workers to fight the epidemic. They will be sent to countries such as Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.

The article did a great job of explaining the current situation of the Ebola crisis in Western Africa. Even though the article seems to just contain the important facts regarding the outbreak, the public seems to get a different reaction. As I read the comment sections, not so many people were concerned with the virus itself but rather held negative views against patients coming back from Africa. Some didn’t understand why the US was accepting the infected people and others believed that the US shouldn’t help the countries in need. When I was first introduced to the news of Ebola, I had opinions where the virus was a minor issue and that it should just stay in Africa, and be dealt by the Africans. However, I found that more people that I thought are in need for additional medical support that their countries can’t afford. Thus, the article was helpful to have me realize that it actually can cause multiple organs to fail which could be fatal, and that the rate of infection is not slowing down. Therefore, CNN did a good job of addressing the factual situation of the current Ebola crisis.

article: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/09/09/health/ebola-patient-emory-atlanta/index.html?hpt=iaf_c2

Africa Bashing

Ayoola Openibo
September 3, 2014

The article that I choose to write about is called Ebola Death toll Passes 1900, Says WHO, I retrieved this article from BBC News. The article focuses on the reported cases of Ebola in Five countries in West Africa. The country of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria. There have been 3,500 confirmed or probable cases in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77360000/jpg/_77360023_96c64fb0-7d62-439e-a1ae-c0cb2d934168.jpg
This issue the article is focused on not just Ebola, but mostly what measures can be enacted to yield a faster result in controlling the virus. There are many possible measures to take but the issue of ethics plays a huge role in the decision making. Many individuals in the medical field are said to meet and discuss what actions should be taken in Geneva. This is an important issue because it impacts everyone as a whole not just the countries in Africa directly affected. The first case of a British person to contract Ebola during the outbreak was discharged from the hospital after making a full recovery on September 3, 2014. Aside from that, the fear of contracting the virus has impacted the trade of rice, as sailors refuse to sail to West Africa, this is a big effect on the economy of Thailand and West Africa countries involved in import and export of rice. The issue also affects schools in Nigeria although they reversed a decision to postpone the start of school, we still see the impact in that they were going to postpone school to avoid the spread.
The article uses phrase like “outbreaks out passing efforts to control it” and talks about western cases been resolved. In my opinion this is done deliberately to say that Africa’s countries can not contain the spread of the Ebola virus. This is similar to what we discussed in class where the news portrays Africa as primitive, and unable to handle issues effectively. The article talks about how foreign medical practitioners are meeting to solve Africa uncontrolled Ebola spread. The title of the article itself sets the scene perfectly for some bashing stating that 1900 deaths as a result of Ebola occurred in Africa, but barely talks about cases outside West Africa, which I am sure exist, and even when mentioned it is down played as not being a severe case. The news source is from a British company, so there is an undoubtable bias in how the stories would be reported.
The source reports the news on Africa making it look as though nothing is being done to prevent the spread locally. I personally feel that the news reported through BBC does a bad job of explaining how this is not just an African issue, but is a world issue and if nothing is done, but playing blame games, then more of the world is about to be affected by the outspread of this virus. The western countries clearly have an effective remedy as reported with the fully recovered British infected person, so more can definitely be done.
Every time I hear something about virus spreading I immediately think there has to be someone purposely putting these things out to make income like the sci-fi movies.

Ebola In West Africa

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Medical equipment used by doctors to protect themselves from being infected with Ebola while operating on patients

The article I chose to write about is from “The Huffington Post” and the article’s title is The Ripple Effect of Ebola on Health Care in West Africa. The article was written on August 8, 2014. This article not only deals with the health problems associated with the deadly disease known as “Ebola”, but it also digs deeper and discusses the effects that it has on the health care in Sierra Leone and Liberia. There is a ripple down effect caused by Ebola, and besides the fact that the disease itself is killing people, the other destruction caused by this disease is leading to even more deaths. It is important to know these effects so more people do not die. One example of the ripple down effect is that people are afraid to go to the hospital because of the fear that they may become infected. This means that if they are showing signs of malaria or dysentery and they do not get them treated than they may die. It is possible that dysentery and malaria may be killing more people than Ebola. Another indirect effect of the virus is that it is difficult to find doctors to help because, without the proper equipment, most people are too scared to help out to actually do anything. In Liberia there are fifty-one doctors for almost four and a half million people. There is no way that those doctors can treat all those who need treatment, so the proper equipment needs to be bought so that the doctor to patient ratio is not so terribly low.

The author seems like they are writing with a concerned attitude. They use words like “urgent” and “crisis” to address the importance and use the word “we” a lot to show that the readers can make a difference and it is going to take people like themselves to help solve this problem. We have learned in class that we can help by educating ourselves about Africa. I get the sense that the author is trying to convey that Africa is a helpless country and cannot help themselves. The need for help from outside countries is also stressed throughout the article. It seems like the stereotypical article about Africa. I get that the tone is used to persuade people to help Africa, but what article isn’t about how we should help Africa? The article is written by the Huffington Post so it is slightly biased towards liberal ideas, so it probably supports foreign aid.

My personal thoughts about this is that Africa does clearly need help, but it is not entirely our responsibilities to help them. We as individuals can only do so much and the countries of Africa have to set aside their differences and unite to help. If the African countries were smarter, they would stop worrying about securing their own borders and stopping the disease from getting into their country and rather start directing their efforts into stopping the disease as a whole. It is not only the African countries doing this. All of the countries stopping their airlines from making trips to Africa and putting restrictions on incoming flights spent a heck of a lot of money to do that. That was money that could have been used to buy medical equipment for hundreds of doctors which are desperately needed in Africa. The money needs to be spent on making conditions safer for doctors so no doctors will get infected. This would lead to an increase in willingness of doctors to help the struggling country. The disease needs to be controlled and eliminated. Instead of trying to stop the spread we need to focus on simply eliminating the disease as a whole. What better way to stop a disease from spreading than to eliminate the disease completely. Africa needs help, but not just any help, we have to be smart about how we help. This includes the doctors that are helping now. They cannot try to be brave and do reckless things like operate without the utmost protection. This could lead to them contracting Ebola which would eliminate more doctors and clearly that would only worse the problem. The article ends with a quote from the World Health Organization’s Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan saying “Our collective health security depends on support for containment in support in these countries.” This is a powerful statement and sums up my opinions about this article. What she means is that if pity is not enough to get you to do something about this then your personal health being in danger should motivate you to do something.

-Austin Groff

Food Shortages in West Africa due to Ebola

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29028768

food

This post by the esteemed BBC or British Broadcasting Corporation, discusses food shortages which are expected to worsen due to the Ebola outbreak in the West African countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. The United Nations organization, FAO- Food and Agriculture Organization claims food harvests are at serious risk. Rice and corn production are projected to be down this coming harvest.

Already quarantine zones and restrictions on travel have slowed the sale of food. And therefore prices have gone way up as people panic buy and shortages begin to happen.

In the article someone from the FAO, states that already, many were spending up to 80% of their incomes on food. But his wording could have been better. He says “affected areas”, rather than name specific regions or countries.

My scruples are with certain wording, such as the one I mentioned, though I do think the tone is urgent as should be the case. I would have liked, however, an organization’s projections which is located in Africa, rather than have a Western unit looking at it and saying there’s a problem. I’m sure there is quite a shortage for food, and I respect BBC as a source, and you could not get any more credible than the UN, but I wish there were African sources.

Not once in the article, did they have interview segments with any residents of Africa, or any African governments or institutions. I take the expert’s view seriously, but wish there would have been that much more of a participatory role for those actually involved.

-Mike Brush

Viruses inhabiting Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea causing deathly incidents

Source: http://online.wsj.com/articles/south-africa-issues-travel-ban-for-countries-hit-by-ebola-virus-outbreak-1408638457

Date: August 21, 2014

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Almost directly following a ban in bordering countries Zambia and Kenya, residents of select countries in Southern Africa aren’t allowing travel outside of themselves regarding the serious, dangerous spreading of deadly diseases. Currently, the countries of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone are restricting access due to a spread of an Ebola outbreak that has resulted in over 13,000 deaths as of the month of September 2014.

Although members outside of the mentioning countries may return to their home country from external travels, their returns will consist of extreme analyzed medical tests. While travel from outer countries is currently banned indefinitely, The World Health Organization is against restriction of airborne travel of the countries. According to research within the countries, distancing these countries would be unreasonable due to the study that the diseases affecting Ebola wouldn’t spread through direct contact, airborne travel, etc. Body fluid contact has been the only discovered way of travel for the mentioned disease. The residents of these countries are for whatever reason not acquiring quarantine areas, so the doctors and researches  of the infected countries have taken it upon themselves to arrange protective equipment themselves for the basic physical protection through glove protection. The African Union has composed a mission consisting of around $3 million to help the area of Sierra Leone with a mobile lab in effort to find a cure and put an end to whatever contact has created spread in this country.

The tone in this article is more centered on the concern and pain of the residents of these countries and what will happen to them. As many know, there are severe, deadly diseases spread throughout many select areas of South Africa and beyond that are going untreated and resulting in the lives of residents young and old. The impression I received was one of concern and hope that certain governments and organizations would continue to impose regulations for the safety and bettering of theses countries, and are taking the time, money, and research to put an end to the spreading of these deadly causes for the future of Southern Africa, although when this may take place is unknown. The source, Wall Street Journal, showed general and legitimate representation and research of the progression and effects of where the issues of travel were coming from and how it is planning on diminishing and resulting in hopeful termination of the issue. For an article coming from within another country to show such interest and hope in saving these countries from isolation and termination shows unbiased, sincere care. We haven’t discussed this particular area of issue in class, although I feel our involvement in knowing about these types of issues will be presented and respected the way it should for the obvious care and concern of such countries.

My personal thoughts are based on the concern that Africa in general, although I’m unfortunately terribly uninformed, is always under extreme, deadly health and poverty issues making the country suffer extreme struggle within all areas of living that we never come close to in America. Although I’m aware other areas are well off and very wealthy, I understand the villages and diseased areas and countries like the ones mentioned in the article that struggle day to day. I hope to keep up with the progression and future hopeful safety of efforts being made to save the struggling areas of the beloved continent.

The Ebola Epidemic Stereotype

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/09/01/world/africa/ebola-ghost-town/index.html?hpt=iaf_t2

For this assignment, I read the CNN article “Funerals, Ghost Towns and haunted health workers: Life in the Ebola Zone.” The article discusses the Ebola epidemic that is currently plaguing the northern Liberian area of Africa. Ebola is not only stealing human life from the infected villages- it is robbing them of religious practices as well. Due to the level of contagiousness equated with Ebola, individuals are stripped from being able to practice their typical burial ceremonies. This is important not only because of the number of lives it has claimed, but also because of the multiple levels in which it violates the families. The article continues to deeply describe the extreme precautions that are being taken in order to avoid Ebola. It describes men dressed in “space-suit-like outfits, cautiously throwing the dead body into the grave, [pausing] only to toss in anything else they are wearing that came into contact with the deceased.”

The key words that are used within the article are mourning, burying, devastating, suffering, deaths, and abandonment. Judging by the frequency and duration of the words used, the tone of the entire article is a mix of fear and morning. The author wants the reader to feel the pain that the affected individuals are subjected to. I suppose that CNN could be giving a stereotypical impression of Africa because of the bleak and pitiful nature of the article. It projects a vibe of helplessness towards the reader, which can be found in the majority of articles written about Africa. CNN is also known for having biased views on a myriad of topics.

Even though the language suggests differently, it’s hard for me to personally label this article as stereotypical. The reason behind this lies within the attached video, in which locals are interviewed and asked about how Ebola is currently affecting them. It might be easy to believe that the author is exaggerating the torment Ebola is inflicting upon Africa, but the words that came from the mouths of the locals makes the suffering seem real. For example, there’s a section in the article that describes the Ebola response team had been called to a village where a woman died of unknown causes. The health team is required to cover their entire body with gowns, goggles, and gloves in order to collect the body; which is then placed in an airtight polythene bag. When the team exits the house, the article states “those crying are the dead woman’s family members; for their own safety, they can only mourn from a distance.” I personally feel that whether the article is biased or not isn’t an issue. I doubt that the writer would go into such detail about the pain that is experienced if it was not true (at least on some level). It’s heartbreaking to hear about the abrupt fashion that Ebola steals loved ones. Whether you’re from Africa, the United States, Germany, or even the North Pole- death is devastating. It’s devastating to live through and it’s devastating to read. Ebola is largely equated with death, so no matter what, this article is going to be an unpleasant read. I’m not sure how the author could have rewritten it in order to not give off a bias view of Africa.

Funerals, Ghost Towns and Haunted Health Workers: Life in the Ebola Zone

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/01/world/africa/ebola-ghost-town/index.html?hpt=iaf_t2

9/1/2014

In the past several months the extremely deadly Ebola virus has ravaged many African countries, hitting Western Africa exceptionally hard.  Liberia, situated on Africa’s west coast is perhaps the country that has felt the biggest effects from the Ebola epidemic. Throughout the article numbers related to the Liberian Ebola situated are presented and they are truly frightening.  In Zango Town, many of the houses and buildings have been abandoned and barricaded in an effort to prevent any possible spread of the deadly virus.  Everybody that had previously lived here has either contracted the disease and died or deserted the town hoping to elude the sickness.  Several miles away in Barkedu, a small town of approximately 8,000 people has contributed to about 20% of Liberia’s 1,000 Ebola caused deaths. Because of the severity and spread of the disease in this small town, a quarantine has been issued; no one gets in and no one gets out.  Another effort to potentially stop the infectious virus from spreading any further. The disease is not just stopping at the villagers however, with an entire clinic of health workers that had come in to help contracting the virus killing all but one of them.  The bodies of those whose lives were claimed by the Ebola virus are not even receiving proper burial for precautionary measures.  The virus can still be spread from a dead body so health workers use special suits to prevent transmission and then dispose of the body and any clothing that could have come in contact with the infected person. Many Liberians are victim to terrible nightmares with the imposing virus terrorizing them even in their dreams; dreams of themselves contracting the disease and of their loved ones dying from it.

The reader immediately is exposed to the severity and tragedy of the situation with a title like “Funerals, Ghost Towns and Haunted Health Workers”. The article is filled with negatively connoted words such as “devastating suffering” and “abandoned”.  The source, CNN, has a past with controversy and this story seems to fit that mold.  A study showed that 41% of articles posted on CNN were clearly negative, while only 13% were clearly positive with the remaining 46% being neutral or having a slight lean one way or the other.  This article fits right into the clearly negative category because of all the tragedy and destruction in the article. The words make the reader feel as if the African countries are unable to protect themselves and are weak and in need of aid from larger, more powerful countries.

Even though the story is negative I feel like CNN was right in organizing the article like this. However awful it sounds, that’s how bad it really is.  The article brings into light the importance of the situation and the importance of putting an end to the spread of Ebola before more lives are potentially lost. It makes the reader realize that special measures need to be taken and people need to come together in an effort to help out those who are affected or those who have lost loved ones.

 

 

Ebola: Guineans Riot in Nzerekore over Disinfectant

Ebola: Guineans Riot in Nzerekore over Disinfectant

http://www.bbc.com/new/world-africa-28984259

1 September 2014

The issue of this article was about how the residents of Nzerekore, Guinea rioted after their market place was sprayed with disinfectant to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus. The local residence feared that the spray would spread Ebola, leading to the attack on health workers and the hospital in Nzerekore. Therefore causing them to flee to nearby military bases for protection. This fear was fabricated by a rumor that the spray would help spread the Ebola virus to the locals. The article continues to talk about how the outbreak of Ebola started in Guinea and has claimed over fifteen thousand lives so far. The article then continues to go into how the local traders were not warned about the epidemic and held protest at the local hospital. Furthermore the article goes into how Senegal has confirmed its first case of Ebola, which was a Guinean citizen.

_77257455_77255649            The main issue of this article was eluded, which is Ebola has a serious issue and what can be done to prevent the spread. Anytime we as a people have an epidemic dealing with some form of disease it affects the entire world. If we look at history we will see how diseases like cholera, smallpox, tuberculosis, and the plague have spread around the world claiming many lives. These diseases all started in one location then spread like wild fire to the rest of the world, and at no fault to any one person or nation. This is the nature of diseases, and Ebola is no different.

This article was very biased against Guinea and tossed blame on the country for the outbreak. The writer states, “the current outbreak of Ebola began in Guinea, and has killed more than 1,500 people in four countries.” That statement places direct blame on the country for the outbreak and the death for the people in the neighboring countries. It also goes into how the Guinea citizen was at fault for Senegal’s first case of Ebola.

This is not only stereotypical but also a damaging article to their country and the continent of Africa. Every country in the world relies on import and export, so this article helps create a tone of fear around the world. Transactions and opportunities that normally would have been possible may have halted or damaged for good, because of fabricated fear that is created by the press. I believe by the tossing of blame, and reporting actions of a scared group of people is very damaging. The things that should be coming out of this part of the world should be positive. They should discuss the issue of the disease and the ways to prevent the spread.

In conclusion, this article was very damaging to Guinea and the neighboring countries. The writer only discusses the fear that was created from the viruses, and how the people are reacting based off of that fear. Other then targeting the domestic issues of this country in its dyer need. The writers from this organization should focus on information that can be useful to the world, because this virus affects everyone and isn’t bias to who it targets.