Fruit Bat Virus

Written by Reese Gabrielle Lim

As we already know, a deadly virus is once again spreading all around the world. This is the ebola hemorrhagic fever, more commonly known as ebola. This virus came from fruit bats. The most recent outbreak started in West Africa and is currently the worse we experienced ever since it has been discovered on 1976. A lot of people have already died from this disease as it is very contagious and worse of all, there is no cure yet. Everyone is trying their best to stop the spread of the disease and I believe we will be able to get rid of the virus very soon. Although it has not reached our country, we still should take care of ourselves and be ready to help others.

Prevention of the Ebola Virus

So how can we prevent ourselves from getting the virus? Easy. All we have to do is take care of our bodies. We should eat healthy food so that our immune systems will be stronger. We also shouldn’t forget to practice good hygiene! Simple things like taking a bath everyday and not biting our finger nails are some good practices that can help us not get sick. And, if you have plans to travel to West Africa soon, I suggest that you postpone your trip since there is a big chance that you might get ebola as the virus originated there. Avoid having contact with animals who can be carriers of the virus such as bats and primates. The incubation period for ebola is 2-15 days so if you get in contact with an animal and you think you have ebola, I think you should observe yourself first before jumping into any conclusions but if any symptoms show, go to the doctor immediately and wear protective gear so that you won’t pass the disease to other people.

How We Can Help Others

As I have stated a while ago, a lot of people have already died from ebola. I believe that everyone has a part to play in stopping the virus. Each one of us should do something. Even the smallest bit can go a really long way. How can we help them? First of all, we should raise awareness. Tell everyone that ebola is not a joke. This is a very serious thing. You can create a simple blog like this and it can help anybody. If they read it, they will have more knowledge about the virus, thus they can also do something to help prevent it. They can also tell their friends about it and it will be like a chain reaction and sooner or later, everyone will be talking about it and helping each other. With the help of some adults, we can also make small groups and teach others about the virus.

Things We Can Ask the Government To Do

Currently, the governments of different countries are working together to help cure ebola. They send health care workers to go to West Africa to help treat the sick. I believe that they are doing a lot of things already but in my opinion, they are focusing on curing the sick and not preventing more people from getting the disease. I’m not saying that what they are doing is a bad thing. I just think that they should focus more on finding a cure so that curing the sick would have much easier process. I think one of the things that they can do is to give more funds to the scientists and different organizations that are trying to find the cure. According to my research, scientists were able to create two potential vaccines for ebola. Their progress should not go to waste. This can really be helpful to people all over the world. Another thing that the government should not forget are the hospitals. They should give them enough resources to properly help the sick. Afterwards, the government can also conduct seminars and activities about ebola for the citizens and ask them if they want to volunteer to help the workers in West Africa. I think that these things would really hasten our progress in defeating the virus.

To fully get rid of this virus, we need everyone’s cooperation. One country can’t beat this disease on its own. Everyone must work together because it’s the only way. I really felt touched when I found out health workers are going out of their way and helping others even though they know that they are risking their health. This simple act is now helping a lot. We will not let this virus make us extinct. We can stop it and we will.