The current outbreak of Ebola, first reported in Guinea in March, has already spread to several nearby West African countries, and a few recent cases have raised concerns that it could spread into other parts of Africa. As of July 27, approximately 1,300 confirmed, probable and suspected cases of infection were reported in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, with 729 recorded deaths. The largest Ebola outbreak previously recorded occurred in Uganda in 2000-2001, with 425 confirmed cases.
There is no doubt that the current outbreak of Ebola is dire. According to the World Health Organization, the current death toll has been highest in Guinea, where 460 cases have led to 339 deaths so far. In Liberia, 329 cases have left 156 dead, and in Sierra Leone, 533 cases and 233 deaths have been reported.
Governments and international organizations are working with local populations to contain the disease, but cultural practices and porous borders make it an uphill battle. Liberia and Sierra Leone have enacted emergency measures to quarantine infected areas and places where the disease could spread, and the presidents of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia will reportedly meet Aug. 1 in the Guinean capital to come up with joint measures to stop the outbreak.
The properties of the virus itself also reduce the risk of a more widespread outbreak, especially in areas with robust healthcare systems and practices. Because transmission requires contact with bodily fluids, Ebola is more difficult to contract than airborne viruses such as smallpox or the common cold. Ebola is also less infectious than other illnesses, including measles and influenza. In addition, the severity of the symptoms — which include fever, headache, vomiting and diarrhea — prevent the virus from going unnoticed, unlike with HIV, which has a longer incubation period. Therefore, though the virus will likely spread further in West Africa, its ability to spread to other parts of the continent is limited.
