EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Ebola is considered an emerging infectious disease. It was first recognized in 1976 as the cause of twin outbreaks of disease near the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then known as Zaire) and in a region of Sudan. Some 300 people in each country became infected.

Detailed explanation-2: -Ebola virus disease is considered an emerging infectious disease, that is, a disease that has appeared in a population in the last 20 to 40 years and whose incidence appears to be increasing.

Detailed explanation-3: -Newly emerging viruses could be either a novel previously undescribed virus or a variant of a previously known virus. Examples of the novel viruses include HIV, the Ebola virus, and SARS viruses.

Detailed explanation-4: -Ebola is caused by infection with a virus of the family Filoviridae, genus Ebolavirus.

Detailed explanation-5: -A combination of factors including high population densities, closer contact with wild animals, high population mobility across porous borders, severe shortage of health care workers, weak healthcare system, and a slow response has led to the worst outbreak of Ebola.