Since the first reported case, the Ebola virus has been ravaging West Africa with a 2:1 fatality ratio. There have been more deaths from this outbreak than all other outbreaks combined.

The disease is hard to diagnose within the first few days because early symptoms, such as headaches and stomach pain, aren’t specific to Ebola and are quite common.

This spate of Ebola has been the largest outbreak in history. According to the Center for Disease Control, there will be 1.4 million cases of Ebola in Sierra Leone and Liberia alone by January 20, 2015.

The three main ways people can become infected with Ebola are through the body fluids of a person who is sick with or has died from Ebola, objects contaminated by the disease such like medical equipment, and by contact with blood or fluids or infected meat from animals, according to the CDC.

The most severely affected countries, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia have weak health care systems, lacking in resources, according to the World Health Organization.

Unsanitary  conditions in these villages are a large catalyst for the spreading of Ebola.

A common event such as the burial rituals of many West Africans are particularly unhygienic. The burial rituals included the family of the deceased washing the body and then washing their hands  in the water they just washed the corpse in. They would then bury the body close to their house resulting in unsanitary situations and the spreading of Ebola.

The reason for the recent explosion in media attention is the extreme exponential incline in which the disease is spreading in West Africa.

West Africa has some very underdeveloped villages and healthcare. After 21 days, if an exposed person does not have symptoms they will not become sick with Ebola.

Even though the World Health Organization said there is two experimental vaccines that could be in small-scale use by early 2015, there is still no FDA-approved vaccine for Ebola. Without an increase in treatment, cases will, on average double every 20 days.

Locally, the Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare system has a number of steps in place to deal with the possible threat of Ebola.

“Edward-Elmhurst has activated an emergency plan that requires screening at key entry points at our hospitals and clinics to identify patients at risk for Ebola.

These locations include ERs, Immediate Care Centers, Walk-In Clinics and physician offices.The Ebola virus is containable. To date, no one in Illinois has tested positive for the Ebola virus.”, said Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare in their October 20 press release.

On October 27, Governor Patt Quinn signed an order which includes a manditory 21-day quarantine for “high-risk” individuals. The order is for individuals who have had direct contact with the virus as well as health care workers who have treated those whom have been infected with Ebola virus.