Fear of Spreading Ebola Virus Puts Doctors on Standby and Shuts Down Flights

The Ebola Virus is an extremely deadly disease that has plagued Africa for more than thirty years. Currently Western Africa is experiencing its worst outbreak yet with a reported 672 deaths so far. Beyond it's more than half fatality rate many people are fearing that it will be capable of spreading to countries like the US or England.

The Ebola Virus causes symptoms as benign as red eyes and sore throat to much more serious ones like external and internal bleeding, seizures, and death. Symptoms can show up anywhere from two days after infection to several weeks. The virus is not airborne, but is spread through contact, normally from animals, of infected material like blood or other bodily fluids.

The outbreak has struck four countries in West Africa including Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria. Because the virus does not show its symptoms immediately people can be infected without knowing it but still capable of spreading the disease. This means that the virus is potentially one plane ride away from spreading to uninfected countries.

Because of that possibility the major West African airline, Asky Airlines, has shutdown flights going into Sierra Leone and Liberia. The airline said they made the decision in an effort to keep "its passengers and staff safe during this unsettling time."

Among the 672 deaths so far has been Dr Sheik Umar Khan, a leading doctor against Ebola in Sierra Leone. The good doctor had been quarantined on the 22nd after he was diagnosed with the disease. "It is a big and irreparable loss to Sierra Leone as he was the only specialist the country had in viral hemorrhagic fevers," said chief medical officer Dr Brima Kargbo after she had confirmed his death early in the afternoon of the 29th.

In England officials are gathering to discuss and prepare for potential carriers of the disease. The case of Patrick Sawyer, an American flying from Liberia to Lagos, Nigeria, has been the major spark for fear of the disease spreading by plane. After his sister had died of the disease an infected Sawyer was able to get onto a plane heading to Nigeria. Upon arrival he was quarantined, but died five days later.