Ebola, Africa, and Gorillas

(picture from BBC article)

The missionary doctors that I have linked to this blog have been battling an outbreak of the Ebola virus in Bundibugyo, Uganda since late November. In fact, the WHO thinks that a new strain of this very virulent, deadly disease evolved in this particular instance. The last count I can find on their blog is 36 deaths in the first (and thankfully only) month of the outbreak. It ravaged their lives killing one of the African physicians (Jonah Kule) they were very close to and separating their family for close to a month. There is an article about Jonah here. Really tragic stuff.

The virus is known only to exist in Africa and it is usually transmitted from ape to human, although there are other reservoirs like duikers, certain plants, insects, shrews, and bats. Often what happens is that people from towns or villages near the jungle will go in and hunt for food for their family and kill a jungle-dwelling primate. Instead of hauling the whole animal back to town, the hunter will butcher the animal there in the jungle and leave the inedible parts behind. The problem that this presents is that if the hunter has a cut and he gets the ape's blood mixed into his, and the animal has ebola, and the virus mutates to a human form, he can get ebola and transfer it to his family, village, etc. and havoc begins to reign. It sounds far-fetched and unlikely but it happened in late November in Uganda.

Usually the virus is much more deadly in humans than other primates, but it seems from a BBC article I just read that it is affecting some of our animal friends. So, as seems to always be the case in Africa the situation is complicated. Not only is there a deadly virus, very little healthcare, an endangered species of gorilla, and a beautiful natural resource (the jungle), but there is also a lot of political strife. But in an unusual twist of events Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, three countries not know for political togetherness, are coming together to try to protect these gigantic mountain gorillas from going extinct. It seems to be one of those situations that no one could have planned. Everyone wins: gorillas get to not go extinct (always good), people are protected from getting ebola by helping the gorillas stay healthy, the economy is helped because tourist pay big bucks to get a glimpse of this beautiful creature, and the rebel groups who are occupying the only remaining habitat of the gorillas are ganged up on by three governments who rarely see eye to eye. Phew! Good news from Africa, what a rarity and a wonderful thing to be thankful for.

So after all this you might be asking why does Austin care about this? It has all these things I care about wrapped into one story: Africa, the animal world and conservation, healthcare (esp. infectious disease), people in poverty, political reconciliation, and people we know (by proxy) there experiencing it all. Well, have a good day and remember Africa, the Myhre doctors, and the mountain gorillas in your prayers.