The Ebola Epidemic

I had been keeping a close eye on the Ebola situation in West Africa since about May but it seemed no one else knew or particularly cared about the crisis there.  However, that all changed when two Americans with Ebola were brought back to the United States.  Suddenly everyone knew and was concerned.  I think some people are worried about it coming to Rwanda because it is the same continent. This post is to put people’s fears to rest. Check out the map below.

Firstly, it is important to realize that Africa is BIG. It is four times larger than the United States. Picture from here

Now let’s look at where Ebola is.

Picture edited from here.

But despite all that, Rwanda is still taking precautions against Ebola. 

  Recently there was a man in Rwanda who had recently been to Liberia and tested positive for Malaria.  One of Malaria’s symptoms is a fever, which is also a symptom for Ebola.  The government is being so cautious that they quarantined and tested him for thedisease, which was blessedly negative.
   
In addition, on August 31, I got an email from the United States Embassy that said:
 

The Government of Rwanda is screening each visitor entering Rwanda for symptoms of Ebola virus disease at its land borders and at the Kigali International Airport. The screening includes taking each visitor’s body temperature via a laser thermometer. Each visitor must also complete a detailed questionnaire concerning whether they have any symptoms of illness and where they have traveled in the prior three weeks. 

• Visitors who exhibit a high temperature (above 37.5 degrees Celsius or 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit) will not be permitted to enter Rwanda; returning residents may be placed in isolation.

• Visitors who have traveled to Guinea, Liberia, Senegal, or Sierra Leone within the past 22 days will also be denied entry, and if traveling by air, may be denied boarding at the originating or transit airport.

• Visitors who have recently traveled to places where Ebola outbreaks have occurred in the past (such as the Democratic Republic of Congo or Uganda), or who were in contact with someone who may have been infected with Ebola, may be placed in isolation.

But even so, there is still a risk, so the Maranyundo Initiative has already put a plan in place.  If there is a positive case, I am to stay on campus.  Then I can decide whether I wish to fly home early at their expense or stay here.
 
I will conclude by saying I am not too concerned about Ebola coming to Rwanda because of the plans in place to prevent its entry.

I got the above text message just a few weeks ago describing Ebola and that it has a 90% death rate. To get more information about the situation, all I had to do was contact the number in the message.