Ebola is a deadly disease that has a fatality rate of up to 90%. Outbreaks occur mainly in remote villages in Africa due to unsanitary and poor waste systems. Nurse Laura Salivar said it the odds are minimal that someone at the school could get Ebola.

“ It would be difficult [to get Ebola] because we have such a good sanitary waste process,” said Salivar.

The Ebola virus is transferred through body fluids. Many parts of Africa do not have very good sanitary conditions because they do not have a good waste process in some parts of Africa, which is why Ebola is such a problem in Africa. Even though the odds are that a student won’t get Ebola, it is still possible.

“The building would definitely close and the health department would come in if south ever got a confirmed case of Ebola,” said Salivar.

Even though there only a few Ebola cases in the U.S. some students at south are still worried. Senior Colleen Hatley said she thinks everyone should know about ebola and what it can do.

“Everyone should know about the virus Ebola, it is like getting a death sentence,” said Hatley.

Freshman Taylor Vass also said she is scared of Ebola because it is a deadly disease.

“We should raise awareness about Ebola because you never know if it could get to someone,” said Vass.

Other students at South aren’t as concerned. Junior Spencer Yu says, it is mainly in Africa and we know how to treat diseases like Ebola.

“We already have a plan for biological sickness at the school, and Ebola falls into that category” said Yu.

Ebola has been one of the most deadly diseases this year. It has killed more than 1,200 people in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra, and Nigeria this year alone. There is good news however, Kent Brantly, an American doctor who contracted the virus while treating patients in Africa with the disease, was released from the Atlanta Hospital after treatment with an experimental drug.

When asked Hatley, Vass, and Yu said if they got Ebola they would try the experimental drug so that they could be cured. Science teacher Todd Yeager said Ebola is a deadly disease that starts out like the flu and goes to more severe symptoms like internal bleeding.Yeager also thinks this a wake up call that we need to be prepared for infectious disease not just Ebola.

“Our school does a really good job of training us [Teachers] on infectious disease,” said Yeager

Ebola has not been in the news that much recently since the Ferguson Fiasco, but it is still a threat. Even though the odds are that no one in the school will get Ebola, it is better to be safe than sorry.

“It would be difficult to get, the odds are minimal since it’s mostly over there in Africa,”said Salivar.