In the Latest Fight Against Ebola, Congo

Ebola Attacked Congo Again. But Now Congo Seems to Be Winning

Summary: during this article reporter Donald G. McNeil Jr. provides an update on the month old Ebola outbreak within the Democratic Republic of Cong (DRC).

By the start of September 2018, the incidence rate had dropped.

However, the likelihood of secondary cases mean it had been too early to make a decision that the outbreak was now in check.

The current fighting within the DRC may be a barrier to knowing the complete extent of the outbreak since it It has not been possible to go to some remote villages.

Actions by the DRC government and global health agencies potentially helped to bring the outbreak in check also as a newly developed vaccine.

a number of the actions taken included quarantining hospital staff that may are exposed, training other hospital staff within the use of private protective equipment, and providing free medical aid at public hospitals regardless of the illness as a way of encouraging persons to return certain care.

New innovative approaches to worry also as pharmaceutical treatments offer hope for increased survival rates and a discount within the spread of the disease.

Suggested prompts for discussion:

1. consistent with McNeil at the time this text was published there have been 118 cases and 77 deaths.

1. what's the mortality rate?

2. Why is it important to trace the death rate and the way does it help in evaluating the effectiveness of interventions?

2. the most reason for caution over calling the outbreak in check is that the possibility of a secondary attack rate.

1. Define primary attack rate versus secondary attack rate.

2. Using these two attack rates and applying an understanding of the natural history of the disease (incubation time especially) sketch out what an epidemic curve might appear as if for this outbreak.

3. How would plotting out the epidemic curve help determine if the outbreak was in check?

3. one of the new treatment approaches described int eh article is that the use of cubes.

What are the benefits of this approach and do cubes have the potential to be used when caring for other patients with communicable diseases?

4. In August 2018, five potential pharmaceutical treatments were approved to be used by the DRC government. Review the pharmacokinetics of the five medications in relation to treating Ebola.