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-Ebola is a severe, often fatal illness in humans -The virus was transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission -Average fatality rate is around 50%. Case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks -The first Ebola outbreaks occurred in remote villages in Central Africa, near tropical rainforests, but the most recent outbreaks occurred in West Africa -Early supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment improves survival. There is as yet no licensed treatment proven to neutralize the virus but a range of blood, immunological, and drug therapies are under development -There are currently no licensed Ebola vaccines

-The current outbreak in West Africa, (first cases notified in March 2014), is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the Ebola virus was first discovered in There have been more cases and deaths in this outbreak than all others combined -It has also spread between countries starting in Guinea then spreading across land borders to Sierra Leone and Liberia, with some cases in Nigeria and Senegal -The most severely affected countries, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia have very weak health systems, lacking human and infrastructural resources, having only recently emerged from long periods of conflict and instability -WHO Director-General declared this outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on August 8, 2014

The federal government of Canada has caused controversy recently, as they have been rejecting visitors from West African countries and not allowing them into Canada. An estimated 176 people from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone were turned away from Canada, although the majority that were turned away were from Guinea. This has been controversial because the WHO (World Health Organization) has asked countries not to close their borders due to the Ebola outbreak.

It is very unlikely for an Ebola outbreak to occur in Canada. There is trust in medical officials. The public has always complied with advice doled out by Canadian health officials. This decreases the chances of Ebola spreading throughout the country.

It is very unlikely for an Ebola outbreak to occur in Canada. There are cultural differences. Victims are most infectious at death, but this is when their families are carrying out customary burial rituals. Part of the ritual is to kiss the body of their deceased loved ones and even share a meal in the presence of the corpse. These rituals are rarely found in North America, so the disease is not likely to spread in Canada as it has in West African countries.

It is very unlikely for an Ebola outbreak to occur in Canada. There is action taken with suspected cases. Those who have been tested for Ebola are kept in isolation and anyone who has come into close contact with them is followed up on – these precautions ensure that anyone who may be affected knows his or her status and halts potential spread in its tracks. Quarantine officers are at all of Canada’s international airports — Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal, for example — and they work around the clock, seven days a week, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Airlines and flight attendants are also required to report sick passengers coming off of international flights.

It is very unlikely for an Ebola outbreak to occur in Canada. Our health care system is prepared for potential cases. Health officials in poverty-stricken West Africa already have an uphill climb in educating remote communities about Ebola and its spread. Medical care, isolation units, and protective equipment are scarce. This isn’t the case in Canada, where hospitals are fully prepared for a potential case. Protocol for nurses, doctors, and paramedics changed dramatically and surveillance is now in place brokering intelligence on rising diseases that could pose a threat.

It is very unlikely for an Ebola outbreak to occur in Canada. Canada is sending resources to West Africa. Canada donated up to 1,000 doses of its experimental Ebola vaccine, put aid workers on the ground in West Africa, and it’s already donated $5 million to the cause, including $2.5 million in protective equipment.

Has Canada taken enough precautions to keep Ebola out of the country? Has the government and/or media blown the situation out of proportion or should they take more preventative measures?

Should Canada spend its time and money on working in West African countries? Should Canada put more or less effort into fighting the disease internationally?

Is the Canadian government justified in turning away travelers from Ebola-stricken countries, or are they being too harsh?

What do you believe the motive was behind the World’s Health Organization’s request to not turn away visitors from countries worst hit by Ebola? Was it the right decision?

Is it ethical that Canada has been supplying its experimental vaccines? Or should more tests be run to confirm whether the drug is safe or not?