Outbreak: Protection From Ebola

Protection From Ebola

Early in 2014, Ebola emerged in an unexpected and unprepared area of Africa. The outbreak started with a single spillover event from rural Guinea. From there, it went from an isolated outbreak to a major epidemic as people and the pathogen traveled to the capital cities of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The disease required a strong international response to help contain the epidemic. Recent outbreaks of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will require scientists and doctors to use many of the same measures. All medical workers working with Ebola patients need to wear full PPE (personal protective equipment) to prevent contracting the disease themselves. These pieces of protective gear are on display in the new exhibition, “Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World,” at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History through 2021.

Credit information: James Di Loreto, Lucia RM Martino & Fred Cochard, Smithsonian.