Ebola should serve as a warning
In all likelihood, you have never heard of Hendra virus disease or Chapare hemorrhagic fever. You probably do know about Ebola, however.
Ebola has been in the headlines because of a massive outbreak of the disease in Africa. Thousands of people have perished from it.
Now, the United States has experienced its first official case of Ebola.
A man from Liberia was visiting relatives in Texas when he began exhibiting symptoms. He was treated and every effort is being made to track down people he may have infected.
Sadly, he succumbed to the disease last week.
Public health officials assure us there is nothing about which to worry.
Of course, just days before the Texas report, some public health experts were assuring Americans there was no chance Ebola would come here.
U.S. officials have reacted decisively to the Ebola outbreak, rushing aid to West African nations.
But once that outbreak is contained, little more attention will be paid to Ebola and other hemorrhagic fevers. There are many others – 16 in all, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Hendra and Chapare are on the list.
Instead of merely reacting to outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever, U.S. policymakers should be devoting more resources to researching the diseases – and finding vaccines and/or cures.
The next outbreak could be worse.