ATLANTA, Ga.–A doctor and a nurse who got the Ebola virus in Africa were both expected to get treatment at Emory University Hospital, and that’s just 300 miles from Mississippi. But, there’s a lot of medical evidence that you are not likely in any danger.
The folks at the CDC agree with Mississippi doctor Randy Easterling that the virus can be controled pretty easily. The people handling the two patients will be wearing loads of protective clothing not available in Africa.
Also, the virus cannot be transmitted through the air, like with a cough.
“There’s no evidence you can transmit it by being around someone,” said Easterling. “You’d have to come in contact with them either sexually or with their body secretions, their urine, their vomit, their feces, something like that.”
Easterling said that the virus is named for the Ebola River where it was first discovered in the 1970s. He said villagers ended up contracting it from animals, primarily moneys, that they found dead. They would eat the animals or use them in ceremonies and come in contact with blood or other fluids.
He compared it to HIV, as far as transmission goes, saying it is impossible to get just by being around someone else who has it.
“It’s transmitted from human to human by direct body contact. It’s not airborne. In other words, you can cough on someone, you can be closely associated with someone who has the Ebola virus and you will not get it.”
CDC Director Tom Fieden agreed with Easterling.
“Ebola is scary. It’s a deadly disease and it’s understandable to be scared of it. But, the bottom line is we know how to stop it.”
He says he feels sure the outbreak in Africa can be stopped.
