News in Review – December 2014 – Teacher Resource Guide : A Deadly Virus Outbreak

Note to Teachers The classroom must promote a safe place for students to discuss sensitive issues such as illness and death. Prepare students for the topics that will be discussed. Allow for individual reflective time in addition to small group activities where students can safely process their thoughts and emotions.

MINDS ON SETTING THE SCENE

In 1995 the movie Outbreak was released. It Ebola is a virus that causes a high fever, describes how a virus in an underdeveloped vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, body pain, and country spreads and seems immune from any external and internal bleeding. Once the virus is vaccine. The result is international panic and contracted it can kill within a matter of days. large loss of life. The movie was fictional but it The virus can only be spread through contact now appears that it may actually have predicted with the bodily fluids of infected people. It is not the future. contagious or air borne. At the moment there is no known cure. In March 2014 the World Health Organization reported a large number of Ebola cases emerging The source of the virus is thought to be the fruit from some countries in West Africa. The virus bat, a mammal that is immune to the virus but quickly spread, with Sierra Leone, Guinea and able to spread it to other species. These other Liberia reporting the highest number of cases. As the extent of the epidemic became apparent and the number of deaths increased, the world faced a number of disturbing questions:  How could the virus be contained in countries with underdeveloped health care systems?  Why were Western nations taking so long to respond with assistance?  Was priority being given to patients in the West at the expense of Africans?  What impact might this virus have on these African societies?

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DECEMBER 2014 – EBOLA: A DEADLY VIRUS OUTBREAK animals — such as monkeys, antelopes and and personnel to fight the virus in the affected gorillas — may eat food already infected by the nations. It is estimated that it would cost bats. The animals are then killed and eaten by approximately $1 million a month to build and humans. maintain a 70-bed facility. Canada has pledged over $65 million. Other nations have also With the increasing growth of urban centres in pledged large amounts, but the United Nations most African countries it did not take long for has criticized these nations for not delivering the those infected in the rural areas to migrate to the funds in a timely manner. cities. By mid-December, Ebola had infected more than 18 600 people and killed 6 915. Would the response have been more immediate if the epidemic occurred in a Western nation? Global Response Why is it that African countries struggle to The spread of this virus beyond the borders of acquire enough medical gowns and protective Africa has raised a number of concerns about the gloves — see the makeshift Ebola clinic in negative impact of globalization. With the Liberia pictured below — while infected doctors growth of international travel there is fear of the and aid workers from the West are flown home, disease quickly spreading beyond the borders of kept in isolation and given 24-hour health care? Africa. Some critics point to the large illegal importation of bush meat to a number of African Medical Dilemma communities in North America. This smuggled When the urgent cry for assistance was sent out meat can carry many viruses, including Ebola. to the world medical community, the first international health care workers that arrived Questions have also been raised about the faced a daunting task: to establish evacuation apparent unequal response of western countries centres, isolate victims, educate people on how to this health crisis. West African countries have the disease is spread, and convince a skeptical been asking for urgent assistance as they fight population that the workers were not a threat. the virus. Many of these countries are recovering With the recent deaths of both prominent local from years of instability and violence that have and international health care workers, however, left their health care systems in ruin. The non- there is concern that the number of volunteers profit organization Medecins Sans Frontieres will decline. The situation is also hampered by (Doctors Without Borders) has called on the some airlines eliminating flights to the infected world community to contribute funds, supplies nations or the requirement from some Western nations that anyone arriving from an infected area remain in quarantine for 21 days. Some worry that such restrictions will discourage health care workers from journeying to the infected nations. Recently the Canadian government announced

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DECEMBER 2014 – EBOLA: A DEADLY VIRUS OUTBREAK a plan to encourage health care workers to not knowing the full range of potential side volunteer their services by providing extra effects? Some trials have been undertaken and funding and medical equipment. they appear to have been moderately successful. Yet even with these successes it will still take Ethical Dilemma months before enough vaccine can be produced. As the rapid increase in Ebola cases became apparent, there was a call for pharmaceutical Impact of Ebola companies to fast-track vaccines. This raised a While the virus has resulted in thousands dead number of ethical questions. Typically Western and exposed the poor condition of many national pharmaceutical companies focus on producing health care systems, it has also had an impact on drugs that are widely used and promise strong cultural practices in some areas. In West Africa, profits. In order for companies to develop an funerals can draw many people together who they would have to reallocate wash, touch and even kiss the deceased. The their resources to produce smaller batches of World Health Organization has been working expensive vaccine — and that could impact with anthropologists to come up with safer profits. Under government pressure and burial practices that still take cultural traditions encouragement, however, major firms have into consideration. There is also the question of taken on the task of creating such a vaccine. The bush meat. Should its export be banned in all Canadian government’s National Microbiology countries? Laboratory in Winnipeg has had some success in developing a vaccine, and the government has As the disease spread people were told to remain commissioned an American firm to develop and in their homes. The Sierra Leone government distribute the vaccine. However vaccines take a even declared a two-day period where no one long to develop and be tested before they can be was to leave their home while health inspectors mass produced. conducted visits to locate sick victims. Schools have been closed, workers are not reporting for The big question for medical ethicists: should work, and health care workers are focusing on these initial vaccines be tried on human Ebola at the expense of dealing with other subjects? Should doctors administer the vaccine common diseases such as malaria.

To consider Ebola may be the first viral pandemic. What lessons can the world learn from this disaster?

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DECEMBER 2014 – EBOLA: A DEADLY VIRUS OUTBREAK

VIDEO REVIEW

Pre‐viewing

1. Locate Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia on a world map. Why should we be concerned considering how far away those countries are from Canada?

2. Reflect back on a time when you were very sick. What steps were taken to help you recover? Compare those steps to what people in Ebola-infected countries face.

While viewing

1. Why might people in infected areas not comply with advice from foreign health care workers?

2. Why would the world only recognize the threat of Ebola when Americans Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol became infected?

3. Why is it so difficult to contain the disease?

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DECEMBER 2014 – EBOLA: A DEADLY VIRUS OUTBREAK

ACTIVITIES

1. There has been great concern about how globalization has established conditions where a viral global pandemic is possible. Does this mean that globalization is producing more negative than positive results? Evaluate the effects of globalization in chart form and you decide.

Examples of Negative Aspects of Examples of Positive Aspects of Globalization Globalization

2. One response to the Ebola crisis has been to raise awareness of the disease and seek global assistance. Celebrities have joined in the effort. Explore the following site and examine the campaigns of these celebrities. Do you feel these campaigns are effective? What additional efforts could these celebrities take to assist in the fight against the spread of the disease? cbc.ca/news/arts/‐matt‐damon‐ben‐affleck‐join‐Ebola‐fight‐while‐band‐aid‐backlash‐grows‐1.2840484

3. SOS International, a travel and medical securities service company, has produced a video for people in infected areas educating them on the virus. As you examine the video keep these questions in mind and discuss after viewing the material:  Does the video provide accurate information?  Is the video appropriate for the intended audience?  Do you feel the video is effective? If not, what would you suggest to improve the message? vimeo.com/user20751789/review/105845823/4dfb4adc03

4. What is the Canadian government doing to try and prevent cases of Ebola from appearing in the country? Examine the following government website and assess its response to the disease. Do you feel the government is acting appropriately? Are there other measures the government could take? healthycanadians.gc.ca/diseases‐conditions‐maladies‐affections/disease‐maladie/ebola/response‐reponse/index‐ eng.php

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