Ebola Virus Disease Archives • Microbe Online

We have come to a time when everyone is afraid, and the economy is greatly affected due to a viral infection we refer to as COVID-19 or coronavirus. The coronavirus outbreak has paved the way for the new normal by observing social distancing and wearing masks all the time in public places. However, there had been many deadly viruses that occurred in the past before the devastation of the COVID-19. Let's walk down through history and discuss the five most dangerous viruses. Ebola Virus The Ebola virus was discovered in 1976 in a place that is known today as the Democratic Republic of Congo. The virus was named after a river where it was first recognized, the Ebola River. The outbreak of the virus was reported in early 2014 when it struck West Africa. A sudden fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, rash, sore throat, and vomiting are some of the Ebola Virus symptoms. It is a highly contagious disease and can be contracted through blood and other body fluids or tissues. HIV Known as the deadliest virus in human history, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, commonly known as HIV, has killed millions of human beings since it began in the early 1980s. Individuals who acquired HIV died due to the disease it causes, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS. HIV can be transmitted from one infected person to another through blood or other body fluids. Activities such as sex and unsafe injection practices are among the most common causes of transmission. Influenza We are currently facing a worldwide pandemic due to coronavirus, but we did not realize that there is a much deadlier virus present that has been going around for years. The influenza virus kills around 290,000 to 650,000 people every year. Influenza (flu) virus structure Image source: CDC However, influenza already has a vaccine that is given to people every year. Most people are now slowly forgetting how far worse the said virus is because the vaccine is alleviating its symptoms, and COVID-19 would have the same fate when vaccines started to become available soon. Smallpox Before the World Health Assembly declared that smallpox was eliminated entirely in 1980, it had already taken the lives of millions of people for thousands of years. This ailment claims one in every three individuals that become infected with the virus. Those who survived the disease carry lifelong scars or, worst, blindness. We are now free of smallpox and since the vaccine was successfully distributed worldwide, there has been no reported transmission of the said disease. But there are still small quantities of smallpox virus that existed today and can be found in two research laboratories in Russia and Atlanta, Georgia. Coronavirus The most recent virus that materializes is the SARs-COV-2 virus, which is widely known as COVID-19, which started in late 2019 and is continuously infecting thousands of individuals worldwide. COVID19 is a type of coronavirus that is rapidly spreading and infecting everyone in contact with it. It causes respiratory failure that results in death. Fever, sore throat, shortness of breath, and loss of taste are common, and the first symptoms will manifest. The virus has an incubation period of 14 days, and symptoms usually appear within 5-6 days from when a person gets infected. The World Health Organization already declared a global pandemic and started to impose lockdowns, quarantines, wearing masks, and social distancing. This action is made to help contain the disease while waiting for the vaccine to be available to the public. As of now, aside from the protocols implemented worldwide, keeping your immune system healthy can help protect you from COVID-19. Taking vitamin c and zinc, along with a proper diet and exercise, will strengthen your immune system and will help you avoid being infected with the coronavirus. Takeaway There have been a series of viral infections in the past. Some are worse than what we are experiencing today. Those viral infections have been contained due to the vaccines created by scientists’ thorough research and development partnered with various pharmaceutical companies. But even when vaccines are available, you should remember that prevention is always better than cure. Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post by guest author Janyl Gregorio. She is a part-time writer with expertise in topics regarding human biology and chemistry.