Ebola Outbreak Prompts Peace Corps To Remove Volunteers From Some Countries In Africa
By Dr. Brian McDonough
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Peace Corps is removing its volunteers from three West African countries after two of volunteers tested positive for the deadly Ebola virus.
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is the largest ever, but the risk of it spreading to the United States is very low.
There is certainly concern about the Ebola virus in Africa because as of July 23rd over 670 people have died during the current outbreak. It's spread between Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Now, the Peace Corps has announced that they are going to take over 300 volunteers from those areas after two may potentially have been exposed to the virus.
If Ebola came to the United States, which is possible because of travel, we would be able to handle it quite differently than they are in Africa.
First of all there is a great deal of mistrust for the medical community in Africa. People don't often seek care right away. In addition, we would isolate patients and begin treatment and do what we could to try to stop the spread early in the exposure.
