Ebola Extra Credit Essay
The Ebola Outbreak The Ebola outbreak has took a huge toll on the world, however it is primarily in the African countries Sierra Leone and Liberia. It spreads through bodily fluids including sweat which is one reason it spreads so fast there. In African culture people are allowed to embrace the dead person and may have to carry a sick person to a medical area. This causes the virus to spread without them even realizing it. Ebola has a 90% fatality rate. It is a DNA virus that is incurable at the time, but they are working on the cure and have tests to see if a person has it. There are moral and ethical considerations that the U.S. and Africa faces to attempt to contain the outbreak. Some of them even go against the African beliefs. First, there are many beliefs that the Africans have that are being broken due to the U.S. influence to contain the virus. In Africa, there is a belief to embrace and touch the person who has died. There is also a burial for the person afterwards where they bury them right near their home or a special area for their ancestors. This has been broken due to the outbreak because to try to contain it the U.S. has taken it into its own hands. Because there are such a large number of deaths, they cremate the bodies or put them in plastic bags. This goes against both their beliefs because the families and friends can’t touch the bodies nor can they bury them in a special area near their home. This is morally wrong but they can’t do a whole lot about it. If they do their normal practices and beliefs, more and more people will get infected and die from it. This makes it hard for the U.S. because they want to help but they are also hurting the culture and loved ones of the people who have died.
Second, Ebola impacts people who were born there but live in the United States. The two men at the panel both were born in Africa and know people who have died from it. They get