As the recent Ebola epidemic continues to spread anxiety and fear across the world, experts at the University of Minnesota have now revealed the deadly disease to possess the potential of turning into an airborne virus, Breitbart reported. Earlier this week, the World Health Organization reported that up to 10,000 new cases could become the norm within two months if drastic measures are not taken.
The WHO has reportedly been advised by University of Minnesota's highly respected Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, a global leader in addressing public health preparedness regarding emerging infectious diseases and bio-security responses, that "there is scientific and epidemiologic evidence that Ebola virus has the potential to be transmitted via infectious aerosol particles," including exhaled breath.
Although CIDRAP acknowledged that they were "first skeptical that Ebola virus could be an aerosol-transmissible disease," they are "now persuaded by a review of experimental and epidemiologic data that this might be an important feature of disease transmission, particularly in healthcare settings."
Describing Ebola as a "high case-fatality rate that has unclear modes of transmission," CIDRAP has targeted healthcare worker's protective gears as a means of major risk, especially their surgical facemasks. In order to guarantee the protection of these professionals, full-hooded protective gear and powered air-purifying respirators should immediately be implemented, the CIDRAP explains.
On CDC's website, an informative report about prevention recommendations from Ebola in U.S. hospitals states that health care workers should "wear gloves, a gown, disposable shoe covers, and either a face shield that fully covers the front and sides of the face or goggles, and respiratory protection that is at least as protective as a NIOSH certified fit-tested N95 filtering face-piece respirator."
N95 filters, which look like surgical masks and can be used as a "disposable respirator," needs to be sized greater than 5 microns in diameter to block 95 percent of airborne particles in an infected environment. However, a 2005 U.S. National Institutes of Health report stated that a shocking 50 percent of bio-aerosols were discovered to be less than 5 microns in diameter, which eventually rendered them as "inadequate against microorganisms."
"Healthcare workers have experienced very high rates of morbidity and mortality in the past and current Ebola virus outbreaks. A facemask, or surgical mask, offers no or very minimal protection from infectious aerosol particles," CIDRAP warned. A proper personal protective equipment (PPE) would "ensure that healthcare workers remain healthy throughout an outbreak."
Based on scientific research, CIDRAP recommends the minimum protection for healthcare professionals in high-risk settings is a "powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) with a hood or helmet" that will filter 99.97 percent of all particles down to 0.3 microns in diameter, according to Breitbart.
But that would require governments to spend $427.13 for a "qualified" 3M Veraflo respirator instead of just $0.65 for an N95 facemask. Considering Liberia's current economic standing, it could prove extremely difficult for the country to afford the appropriate protective respirators.
Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for CIDRAP, Caroline Marin, stated Wednesday afternoon that, "CIDRAP is not saying [Ebola] is airborne. People should understand the potential for a virus to become airborne. There is always the possibility that diseases can mutate."
The current Ebola outbreak is centered in West Africa, where more than 8,000 people have suffered infections and nearly 5,000 have died, according to Star Tribune.
