Students Contemplate Ebola Risks
Story by Dakota Case
“Sick…I don’t know,” said college Sophomore Jada Plath.
This is one of the answers we received after asking University of Sioux Falls college students what they knew about Ebola…
“I know that it started in Africa,” Plath continued. “And I know that there have been more people that have broken up with Taylor Swift than have died from [Ebola] in America.”
It’s easy to joke about now, but with the disease having reached the United States, that could soon change.
Originating in Africa in 1976, the deadly virus was first identified near the shores of the Ebola River by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, it has only recently gained recognition in the public eye after wiping out nearly 5,000 people in West Africa. Only one person – Thomas Eric Duncan – a Liberian man visiting family, has died of the disease in the United States.
It has been about a month since the first few cases of Ebola have been diagnosed in the United States. With the holiday travel season swiftly approaching, there are some valid concerns as to how quickly this virus may spread, and how it spreads in general. With that in mind, what do college students actually know about this disease and what are some of the steps they can take to avoid it?
“[Ebola] is an internal bleeding,” said Emily Erickson, a Junior Nursing major at USF. “And usually symptoms are a common cold and then you bleed through your eyes and your nose. Then, from what I know, it’s not really curable yet. I know it’s treatable, but I don’t know if they’ve found an exact cure yet.”
So how safe are the people of South Dakota?
“I would imagine we’re pretty safe,” said Erikson after some thought. “But, it’s a contact disease, so if someone who came into contact came into South Dakota – I don’t know why they’d come to South Dakota – but…then there would be a risk. But I think there’s a risk anywhere.”
As of October 28th, the state of South Dakota is monitoring a traveler from western Africa due to new restrictions designed to contain the Ebola virus. The traveler is considered to be “low-risk”.
