Americans should be scanning the sky for flying yellow-and-black insects rather than worrying about Ebola, according to a report by National Public Radio.
A bee is more life-threatening in the United States than the disease that killed over 4,000 people in West Africa, as National Public Radio [NPR] reported that there is a 1-in-5.2 million chance of dying of a bee sting.
The infection that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] called an epidemic in multiple countries may not pose a threat to U.S. citizens. Four cases of Ebola have been confirmed in the United States. According to the CDC, out of the four confirmed cases only one resulted in a death. Although the death occurred on U.S. soil, the individual was infected while in West Africa according to BusinessInsider.com.
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Nursing major at Keene State College Alexandra Oliveri said every few years there is a scare of a deadly disease and that people are over-reacting about Ebola.
“A lot of over reaction — people are a lot more scared than they need to be,” Oliveri said.
Oliveri continued to point out that more people have been married to Kim Kardashian than people who have lost their lives to Ebola in the U.S.
Though there is a potential for fear, Brittany Dickison, a nursing major at KSC, explained there is no true danger to KSC students. A threat would only appear if the disease arrived on campus, Dickison continued.
“If there was one [Ebola case] on Keene State campus, then yes, I would be a little nervous,” Dickison said.
Oliveri explained that the congestion of college dorms provides breeding ground for diseases and because of the close proximity of students, infections are more easily spread.
“I feel like it would be a huge concern if somebody who was of school-age were to obtain the disease. I feel like that is something we should worry about,” Oliveri said.
KSC nursing major Taylor Hicks said until that time, Ebola is not a huge threat to U.S. citizens.
“I think the media makes it out to be much worse than it actually is and I don’t think we should be as worried about it as we are,” Hicks said.
However, if a case of Ebola appeared in Keene, Hicks said she agreed that people should be cautious.
“Wear a mask if they think that it’s necessary and don’t share drinks with people,” Hicks said.
At the present Ebola is a highly-infectious disease, but it is not highly contagious. The Tech Times website states the reason for a high rate of infection in Africa rather than America.
The Tech Times stated that practices in Africa lead to a high rate of transmission. According to the online Encyclopedia of Death and Dying, Africans observe many practices that have relatives tending to the sick and dying. Practices like washing the bodies of the dead exposes people to bodily fluid and potential infection. The Tech Times further stated that Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone lack proper medical support for patients.
Though Ebola should concern people, Oliveri said Americans should not be overly-concerned with the disease.
Anna Glassman can be contacted at aglassman@keene-equinox.com