AMU Diseases Health & Fitness Infectious Diseases

Can We Stop Ebola from Spreading?

By Samer Koutoubi
Faculty Member, Public Health at American Public University

Ebola is dominating the news and, for some of us, is an issue in our own communities. Now is not the time to panic, it is the right time to act responsibly. It is time to work collectively to find a treatment and a cure for this virus. What needs to be done by public health officials?

The World Health Organization (WHO) needs to act fast and bring together all of its forces around the globe to fight this deadly virus. It is our responsibility to reach out to citizens and educate them on this virus; the CDC should develop educational resources to increase awareness among the general public about Ebola prevention.

Preventing the Spread of Ebola
There is no vaccine available for Ebola. The primary prevention is to avoid contact with an infected person. This means all blood and other body fluids must be avoided. Follow common protocols for avoiding the spread of germs, including washing hands frequently with water and soap.

A Call for a Coordinated Response
Here is what needs to be done:

  • All public health agencies, local governments, and health care officials should have a plan in place to prevent and protect citizens from the Ebola virus.
  • All hospitals should be carefully adhering to the correct infectious disease control measures to prevent Ebola. All hospitals and clinics should be equipped to isolate patients with symptoms of Ebola from other patients.
  • All hospitals should have the proper Ebola diagnostic tests ready to perform.
  • All health care professionals should be trained to recognize patients with Ebola symptoms.
  • All health care professionals should be briefed daily with updates on Ebola.
  • All individuals who have been traveling overseas should monitor their health for at least 21 days and report any changes immediately to a health care facility.

Let us all work together to stop the spread of this epidemic.  Do not panic–Instead, get informed and share the information with your network.

About the Author
Dr. Koutoubi is a faculty member in the public health program at American Public University. He earned his Ph.D. in Dietetics and Nutrition from Florida International University in 2001. He earned his MD degree in 1988 from Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Dr. Koutoubi’s research focuses on coronary heart disease among tri-ethnic groups including African-Americans, Caucasians and Hispanics. His interest is in disease prevention and wellness, epidemiological research, cardiovascular disease and nutrition, homocysteine metabolism, lipoprotein metabolism, and cultural food and health. He has also authored a number of articles in peer-reviewed journals and wrote a book review. He served as the Editor-in-Chief for The Internet Journal of Alternative Medicine and

MD-PhDWikipedia: The Doctorate of Medicine and of Philosophy is a dual doctoral degree for physician-scientists. The degree is granted by medical schools.

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