Conner Nagel, Mattawan Highschool
Seychelles
The World Health Organization: Ebola and Infant and Child Nutrition.
The Ebola virus is major player in infectious diseases. Ebola has been rampant in Africa for the last decade infecting countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea. Ebola is a fast spreading disease and can be very fatal with over fifty percent of patients dying of the infection. Most of the time, the outbreak occurs within small, isolated communities. However, these small outbreaks can spread fast and hard, hitting major population centers like Goma in the DRC. Not only do these incidents leave hundreds dead and thousands more at risk, but without a sound method to combat the disease, even more communities are in danger.
Located off the east coast of Central Africa, Seychelles is an island nation depended on tourism for our main revenue stream. That being said, Ebola would not only be a humanitarian disaster for the island, but also a major blow against the economy, as an outbreak would deter people from booking vacations to our resorts in fear of the disease. In 2005 and 2006, our island had a Zika outbreak that affected more than 5,000 people. This virus was transmitted via mosquito bite and led to hundreds of them bringing it back to europe. The Seychelles government is in need of UN aid for fear of an EVD outbreak. If Seychelles falls to the infection it could be a bad situation for tourism and the inhabitants resulting in thousands of refugees due to our poor social status of our citizens.
We are willing to work with other nearby countries in housing for refugees in our many resorts if worst comes to worst. But until then our government is in serious need for aid.
- Conner Nagel