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The science behind Ebola: Why it's such a difficult disease to trace

The Ebola outbreak, slicing into several African countries is the biggest outbreak of the disease on record. With the death toll rising, scientists still can't confirm the source of the outbreak. We speak to science writer David Quammen on the behind-the-scenes realities of those who try to follow the clues to pinpoint the origins of a deadly disease....
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The Current24:59The science behind Ebola: Why it's such a difficult disease to trace - September 16, 2014
The Ebola outbreak, slicing into several African countries is the biggest outbreak of the disease on record. With the death toll rising, scientists still can't confirm the source of the outbreak. We speak to science writer David Quammen on the behind-the-scenes realities of those who try to follow the clues to pinpoint the origins of a deadly disease.

EBOLA OUTBREAK

ebola-chart-final.jpg

Source: World Health Organization; UN office for the Co-Ordination of Humanitarian Affairs; US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Reuters (as of August 20, 2014)


The number of new cases is moving far faster than capacity to manage them in Ebola specific treatment centres.Margaret Chan, WHO Director General

The World Health Organization's Director General Margaret Chan calls west Africa's Ebola outbreak the largest, most severe and most complex in the history of the disease. She's pleading for more international help, since health workers in Africa are overwhelmed. Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are particularly hard hit.


• Worst-ever Ebola outbreak, by the numbers -- CBC News


Canada is donating $2.5 million in specialized medical gear to protect medical workers trying to help Ebola patients. And the U.S. will assign military engineers to build treatment facilities in Liberia.

Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are particularly hard hit. Nigeria and Senegal are also struggling. It's estimated that more than 4700 people have been infected with Ebola... about half have died. Ebola is a stealthy killer that slips into African communities with little warning, leaving exhausted health care workers, traumatized populations and long rows of graves.


Where does it come from... can it be stopped?


David Quammen is a science writer - his latest book is called Spillover - Animal Infections and the next human pandemic.

Brian Amman is an ecologist for the Viral Special Pathogens Branch of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Kerry Bowman is a bioethicist and conservationist at the University of Toronto.


This segment was produced by The Current's Liz Hoath.

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