Ebola virus infection is one of the deadliest viral diseases in the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the mortality rate for Ebola disease is in the range of 50 percent, to be exact, between 25 and 90 percent. Since it was discovered in 1976, most of the cases and outbreaks of Ebola have occurred in Arfika.

The Ebola outbreak in mid-2014 to 2016 in West Africa was the largest outbreak since the virus was first identified. The outbreak started in rural southeast Guinea, then moved to cities, across borders to Sierra Leone, Liberia, and became a global epidemic within months. The Ebola outbreak since 2018 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is very complex and creates a sense of insecurity among the public. In the midst of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and severe measles, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday (2/6/2020), announced an outbreak of Ebola disease in Wangata and Mbandaka, quateur province, the country. The following is an explanation of what the Ebola virus is, the transmission of Ebola, the history of the Ebola virus, to the Ebola host. That’s why many people want to study international medical degree to find a cure for future pandemics.

Ebola is a viral infection that causes severe bleeding, organ failure, and can be fatal if not treated properly. Ebola belongs to the Filoviridae family of viruses. There are three genera. Namely cuevavirus, marburgvirus, and ebolavirus. The Ebola virus itself has six types of species that have been identified. These include Zaire, Bundibugyo, Sudan, Taï Forest, Reston, and Bombali. The virus that caused the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and elsewhere in West Africa belongs to the Ebola zaire virus species.

What Is The Ebola Virus?

The Long History Of The Ebola Virus

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Ebola first appeared in 1976. At that time the Ebola epidemic spread in two places at once, namely in the regions of Yambuku (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Nzara (South Sudan). The first outbreak in Yambuku occurred in a village near the Ebola River. The name of this river was later used as the name of this virus. The second outbreak appeared in the territory of South Sudan. The location of the second outbreak from the first is about 850 kilometers away. Initially, local health officials thought the two outbreaks were from a single type of Ebola virus that was transmitted when patients visited the outbreak site. Furthermore, scientists just discovered that the two outbreaks came from two different types of Ebola virus. Namely, Zaire ebolavirus and Sudan ebolavirus. After the incident, scientists concluded, the virus in two places hundreds of kilometers away came from different virus sources and was equally spread in affected areas. Referring to viral and epidemiological data, the Ebola virus is thought to have existed for a long time, long before the first recorded outbreak. Factors such as population growth, forest encroachment, interactions including consuming wildlife affect the spread of Ebola in Africa.