More about ebola

People who ought to know better have been making what are really quite silly and unintelligent remarks to me about returning to Africa when ebola 'is everywhere'.

Have a look at this map .... see how vast Africa is ?   Is ebola everywhere ??

 

 

It is true that today on the news we hear that there are now several cases in Mali, which is to the north of Guinea, but what actually surprises me is that the ebola virus hasn't spread further.  Doctors are saying that the rate of infection seems to be dropping, i.e. a few months ago, each person with the disease could infect four or more; now the figure is nearer one or two.    So although the death toll is now just over 5,100, the rate of new cases is more significant than the total death toll, as it reflects how fast the virus is spreading.

There is still a very long way indeed to go in order to wipe out ebola, but at last the WHO and aid agencies and even Bob Geldof  (!)  are tackling the task.   Education of people  in the affected countries about the disease is an essential.  Caring for the hundreds of orphans who may have lost parents and yet themselves recovered from the illness, and who are even now ostracised by their neighbours, will be an enormous task when the medics go home.    The cry of 'Ebola boy, go away' must be heart-breaking for a recently bereaved and hungry child.