Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Published : December 17, 2014 6:07 PM IST
New York, Dec 17 (IANS): An analysis of the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the West African countries has revealed an interesting fact about the deadly disease. According to the study, the Ebola virus spreads easily in social clusters.
What is clustered transmission?
Clustered transmission means that when a person with the infection transmits to another individual, the person closely related to the first individual (or known to the first person) is at a higher risk of getting the infection, says Jeffrey Townsend, principal investigator and associate professor at Yale University, US. He further stated that this type of transmission generally occurs within small social networks. (Read: Latest Ebola News Ebola killed 6,841, infected 18,464 so far: WHO)
What did the study results signify?
These findings shed light on the significance of quick tracing of the transmission and quarantine the individuals showing symptoms. It also underscores the need of more public healthcare facilities such as hospital beds, medications, etc, so that every person in the West Africa infected with the Ebola virus can be easily isolated and provided professional aid. (Read: Ebola facts frequently asked questions (FAQ))
How they carried out the study?
The researchers reviewed genomic and epidemiological data from Sierra Leone, one of the owrst-Ebola hit nations of West Africa, to carry out their analysis. They found strong evidences stating a significant social clustering of the Ebola outbreak in the region. They also found that around 70% of the Ebola cases were not reported, which is far lower than the overall count of people infected with the disease. (Read: 8 Facts about Ebola you must know)
With inputs from IANS
Image Source: Getty Images
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