Disease Outbreak 2019

In today's world, people strive the hardest, not to earn money or fame but good health. Health has truly become wealth as people struggle to combat diseases and new infections that seem to crop up every day.

Here is a bird's eye view of the disease outbreaks of 2019 as documented by the WHO.

Ebola Virus

Ebola Virus is a deadly virus that spreads by contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons or animals and through contaminated needles, and syringes. This viral infection begins with fever and soon damages the immune system, decreases the blood clotting cells and cause profuse internal and external bleeding. Almost 90% of those infected with Ebola have died. There is no known cure or vaccine to prevent Ebola virus.

The Republic Of Congo has been the worst affected by the Ebola virus in 2019.

Hantavirus

Hantavirus causes severe respiratory disease in humans along with acute renal infection. This is carried by rodents and transmitted to human in contact with them.

The symptoms begin with fever, fatigue and muscle aches, followed by vomiting and dizziness and end with difficulty in breathing. With a 38% mortality rate, Hantavirus can prove fatal. With no cure or vaccine for Hantavirus, the only way to keep the Hantavirus at bay is to keep rodents away.

The Republics of Panama and Argentina had a severe outbreak of Hantavirus in 2019.

MERS-CoV

The Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus or MERS-CoV has attacked the Gulf kingdom of Saudi Arabia repeatedly in 2019. Commonly called as Camel Flu, this viral outbreak is transmitted from camels to humans. Its symptoms range from mild fever, cough, diarrhoea to difficulty in breathing. With a mortality rate of 35%, there is no cure or vaccine for MERS-CoV outbreak.

Yellow Fever

Countries like Brazil and Nigeria have fallen prey to Yellow Fever in 2019. Caused by infected mosquitoes, this viral infection causes fever, vomiting, muscle pain, jaundice and sometimes even bleeding and death. Luckily, an effective and affordable vaccine is available for Yellow fever which offers lifelong protection from the disease.

Lassa Fever

Lassa Fever attacked the people of Nigeria in 2019. This acute haemorrhagic fever is caused by food and other items contaminated with rat urine or faeces. Lassa Fever begins with fever and fatigue, followed by nausea, cough, chest or abdominal pain, and ending in even seizures and death. The mortality rate is 1-15% and this fever can be controlled by timely clinical intervention with an anti-viral drug called Ribavirin.

Rift Valley Fever(RVF)

The French Island of Mayotte had an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever in 2019. This viral fever is transmitted through livestock and farm animals. The RVF virus causes symptoms of fever, fatigue, back pain and dizziness. 8-10% RVF patients may develop ocular diseases, encephalitis or haemorrhagic fever. Patients who develop haemorrhagic fever have a 50% risk of mortality. The only treatment available is supportive therapy.

Monkeypox

Singapore has an attack of Monkeypox in May 2019. This zoonotic disease spreads from infected animals like monkeys, rats and squirrels. Monkeypox has symptoms similar to smallpox beginning with fever, muscle ache, headache, back pain and swollen lymph nodes. Rashes form on the skin within 1-3 days. There is no cure for this except quarantine and support. Earlier, the smallpox vaccine was useful in preventing Monkeypox but this is no longer available after the global eradication of the disease.

Poliovirus

The Wild Poliovirus has surfaced in Iran and Philippines in 2019. The Wild Poliovirus is of 3 types and of this, type 1 was seen in Iran. This virus can cripple people and must be arrested by the administration of the Oral Polio Vaccine(OPV). If a region is not wholly vaccinated with OPV, chances of developing "vaccine-associated paralytic polio" occur. In this case, the vaccinated person excretes the virus which may enter the bloodstream of a non-vaccinated person and resurface strongly.

The "Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type-1" has emerged due to this in Myanmar and type 2 in Ghana and Africa due to partial OPV vaccination in the region.

Dengue

Jamaica an Reunion in France have had bouts of Dengue in 2019 and India too is currently suffering from it. Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection caused by the Aedes mosquito. Dengue shows symptoms of fever, headache, joint pain, and a rash or flushed skin. A vaccine called Dengvaxia has been found to be 60% effective and used in the U.S., Singapore, Mexico, Brazil, etc. Hygiene, cleanliness and avoiding water stagnation is the only way to fight Dengue.

Deadly diseases are destroying the lives of millions every year. It is in the hands of research specialists to discover their cure and for healthcare providers to apply them to save the human population on earth.

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