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Description: Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
On July, 17, 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO; Geneva) director general declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under the International Health Regulations. As we prepare for this growing outbreak, we must ask whether the water sector is more prepared this time around.So, are we — as water professionals — more prepared today to deal with epidemics that may involve waterborne spread of disease than we were a decade ago?
Author(s)
Rasha Maal-Bared
SourceWater Environment & Technolology
Subjectsafety; emergency response; pretreatment
Document typeMagazine article
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Print publication date Jan 2020
Volume / Issue32 / 1
Content sourceWorld Water Magazine
First / last page(s)38 - 45
Copyright2020
Word count3,248
Subject keywordssafetyemergency responsepretreatmentebolapreparedness

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Description: Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
Epidemics Are Reality
Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
In 1918 and 1919, the world saw the onslaught of the Spanish Influenza, which resulted in the deaths of an estimated 50 to 100 million people. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has killed more than 30 million individuals over the last few decades. Cholera continues to plague many developing countries and reared its ugly head in Haiti in 2010. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the 2009 Influenza A...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count231
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Description: Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
The Example of Ebola
Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
An example of the ripple effects and difficulty in controlling outbreaks is what happened between 2013 and 2016 when West Africa experienced the biggest outbreak of the Ebola virus ever known. By October 2015, WHO reported 28,457 official cases. Almost all were reported in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea with about 11,312 deaths, which many experts believe is an underestimate. What few people...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count379
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Description: Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
Where Water Sector and Outbreak Control Intersect
Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
Infectious disease outbreaks are sudden increases in the number of infections caused by a specific pathogen above what is normally seen in an area, or the introduction of a novel pathogen or organism that is not normally found in the area. Figure 1 (above) highlights some basic definitions and a list of organisms that commonly cause waterborne outbreaks and can be found in wastewater. It also...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count220
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Description: Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
How Water Transmission Works
Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
When the organisms are transmitted via water from one person to the next, we refer to them as waterborne. Many waterborne pathogens have generic chains of infection. However, in some cases infectious organisms vary in mobility, in the length of time they can survive outside an infected person, and in how resistant they are to disinfection, among other characteristics. Such factors, in...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count317
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Description: Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
Our Role Preventing Outbreaks
Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
As water sector professionals, we play several roles during an outbreak, with our primary efforts focusing on effective management of pathogens in the wastewater collection and treatment system. During all infectious disease events with potential waterborne transmission, our response must be evidence-based and proportional to the pathogen of concern, the public’s susceptibility or...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count293
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Description: Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
Communicating Properly, Acting Responsibly
Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
Because of the range in responses required by utilities to manage potential pathogen contamination of wastewater collection and treatment system infrastructure, we also must be effective risk communicators. This requires us to clearly convey the what, when, and why of our actions to our workers, citizenry, government leaders, and other public health partners.
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count208
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Description: Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
Preparedness in Times of Uncertainty
Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
Many water professionals believe that our current treatment systems, if operated effectively and to design criteria, should be able to handle waterborne pathogen removal and inactivation without additional efforts. Drinking water professionals cite AWWA Standards (e.g., the ANSI/AWWA C650 Disinfection series covering water treatment facilities, reservoirs, and mains) as standards that can be used...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count290
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Description: Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
Asking the Right Questions
Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
We suspect most water sector professionals would agree that a greater focus on practical and standardized disinfection protocols and occupational infection prevention measures for any waterborne infectious agents would support effective WASH practices. We recommend that a standard protocol address the following questions:
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count649
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Description: Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
Seeking Answers
Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak
The Water Environment Federation Disinfection and Public Health Committee recently established a small team of experts with an interest in addressing some of these questions. The Waterborne Infectious Disease Outbreak Control Working Group meets quarterly with the ultimate objective of disseminating disinfection and safety practices and resources to support public and occupational health...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count480
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Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak