Have you heard of Ebola? It’s this disease from West Africa that only kills people there, right? Unfortunately, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, or the Ebola virus disease (EVD), has been on the planet for decades and might be coming soon to a country near you (if it hasn’t been there already). Ebola is known as a hemorrhagic fever, which plainly means that it can affect major organs, damage blood vessels, and cause severe illness in humans. The deadly hemorrhaging virus has been responsible for over 11,000 deaths reported between 1976 and 2016.^[1]

Recurrent in West Africa and with cases spread all over the world, it seems like EVD is not leaving us anytime soon. Most reported cases of EVD outside of West Africa have been from health workers who have worked in or been based in West Africa. These infections are a result of exposure to the disease from outside their home countries. As a result, the following ten places have had suspected or confirmed EVD cases over the past five years.

10 Lagos, Nigeria

In the summer of 2014, a Liberian-American man flew from Liberia to the city of Lagos in Nigeria. On arrival at the airport, he became violently ill and unfortunately died five days later. Two leading infectious disease doctors who treated him at the hospital also died. This initial EVD case infected a total of 19 people, with seven of them consequently dying.^[2]

The virus was eventually declared contained in October 2014 after 42 days with no new cases. In early 2018, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority urged Nigerian airports to be vigilant in detecting the virus and began thoroughly screening both passengers and crew arrivals from EVD-affected countries.

9 Gulu, Uganda

EVD cases were first reported in Uganda in 2000 and subsequently in 2012, 2014, and 2018. Due to their proximity, it is thought that the cases are linked to the EVD outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Sudan. Statistics show that there have been a total of 425 reported cases of EVD in Gulu, Northern Uganda, resulting in 224 deaths.^[3]

Since early 2018, there has been an increase in suspected EVD cases in Uganda around the northern and eastern regions. These reports are increasing due to the return of EVD in the DRC and Sudan and a rise in refugees fleeing violence. Many cases have been identified as Marburg disease, a “sister” viral hemorrhagic disease of EVD which presents similar patient symptoms, including internal bleeding and vomiting.

8 Mali

In 2014, an EVD-infected man from Guinea traveled to Mali and subsequently died. The infection spread to a further seven people, resulting in a total of six deaths.^[4]

All the same, the response of the health care agencies and Malian government has been championed. There is no need to worry about being infected, as in 2019, Mali has been classified by the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a no-go area for citizens from other countries. Only essential travel is advised in most of the country.

7 Glasgow, Scotland

While working in Sierra Leone in 2014, a health worker became infected with Ebola.^[5] She has been noted as one of the most controversial EVD patients, as she was undetected on arrival at Heathrow Airport in London. The attending doctor checked her temperature and noted that it was normal. (It was actually high.) However, the patient soon deteriorated and became ill with the virus after arriving home in Glasgow, causing a nationwide panic. The attending doctor has since been suspended due to faking the details of the patient’s examination.

Since this period, after months of isolation, the patient has recovered from the virus. She has, however, returned to the hospital for rechecks, as the Ebola virus has returned in different parts of her body. Twice more, she was close to death but fully recovered. This case has been noted down in history as one of the worst Ebola cases in the West.

6 Dallas, Texas, US

In 2014, a Liberian who had been visiting family in Dallas, Texas, became unwell with the Ebola virus and soon died in a hospital. It emerged that on arriving from Liberia, he had lied on his airport admission documents about the fact that he had been in close contact with EVD-infected people in West Africa. Subsequently, two nurses who attended to him also contracted Ebola. Fortunately, both the nurses survived.

One of the nurses went on to sue the parent company of the hospital for a lack of personal protective equipment and health and safety measures. This subsequently resulted in a settlement.^[6] It is unknown if she is still working as a nurse.

5 New York, New York, US

An emergency doctor who returned from volunteering with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in Guinea in October 2014 became ill just days after getting back to New York. He first went to meet friends and went bowling in the city before locking himself in his flat when he became suspicious of his high temperature. He was then transferred to Bellevue Hospital in New York and put into isolation. Three people who were in close contact with him were also put into isolation for security measures. He eventually recovered after weeks in the hospital.^[7]

4 Sardinia

In 2015, a nurse returned to Sardinia after performing three months’ worth of humanitarian aid work in Sierra Leone with the charity organization Emergency. When he began to notice Ebola symptoms, he put himself into isolation and ultimately ended up under quarantine in a specialist hospital in Rome, Italy. The nurse was placed under the care of a doctor who had successful experience treating patients with Ebola and was eventually cured.^[8]

3 Madrid, Spain

A Spanish nurse was infected with EVD while treating an infected patient who had been flown into Spain from West Africa. The EVD patient was a Spanish priest who had been working in Sierra Leone.^[9]

The nurse survived. However, unfortunately, the priest later died. He was the second Spanish priest to die from EVD. The first had been working as a health worker in Liberia.

2 Cornwall, England

In 2014, A Nigerian security guard was tested for Ebola after visiting his family in Nigeria. He was placed in quarantine for three weeks, a fact which made headlines. The man said he felt victimized by the quarantine. Nigeria was declared Ebola-free only two days after his return.^[10]

A Nigerian citizen staying at a Cornish navy base in Cornwall was also quarantined after becoming ill. However, test results identified a rare form of the monkeypox virus, and he was transferred to London for treatment.

1 Saudi Arabia

In 2014, a 40-year-old man returned to Saudi Arabia from a business trip to Sierra Leone. He soon became ill with the Ebola virus and was placed in isolation. He had returned to the country to make a pilgrimage to Jeddah and was stopped so that the disease could not be spread to hundreds of other pilgrims.^[11] He is the only known Ebola victim to have traveled to Saudi Arabia.

World Health Organization experts state that Ebola can be passed through close and direct contact with infected people and through handling infected persons’ body fluids, such as blood and saliva. Health care staff are advised to follow strict precautions to reduce the risk of human-to-human transmission by following outbreak protocols. This includes using personal protective equipment when handling suspected or Ebola-positive patients and moving and disposing of the bodies of Ebola patients safely. Ebola is a deadly virus that can recur in different parts of the body months and years after initial infection and treatment.

So remember to wash your hands and watch out for any cuts if you’re traveling or working in any affected regions in Africa. Be sure to take precautions in countries such as Guinea, Sierra Leone, Libera, Nigeria, Sudan, the DRC, and Uganda during your travels.

Caroline Alice is a freelance writer and English language teacher with an interest in health and infectious diseases. Twitter @carolinealiceb

In early 2016 the Zika virus was declared a Public Health Emergency. With unanswered questions outnumbering the facts; panic was quick to set in. People worried that it was another Ebola-like situation.

Classified as a flavivirus, Zika is primarily transmitted by mosquito. Due to its hardy vector, the virus is spread to new geographical locations with ease, making it even more of a threat to global health.

For many 2016 was the first time they had heard of the virus, but data collected dates back to as early as 1947. Today there is still too much unknown about the virus that’s threatening the health of so many people. Zika has been reported in 48 countries, making it an international concern.

10 What you don’t know can hurt you

Ignorance is not bliss in the case of medical and health topics. Seemingly new to most of us, it comes as no surprise that there is not nearly enough known about this virus that is plaguing multiple continents. Almost a year after the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency, we still don’t know as much as we hoped to have learned by now.^[1]

Overshadowed by recent elections, terrorist attacks, and natural disasters, Zika has been kept under wraps by the news outlets. Apart from being mentioned by the CDC, there was not a great deal reported about this mysterious and threatening virus. We can assume that the lack of broadcasting is in part due to the lack of information. Between the time when the news broke about this virus in early 2016 and the present, there wasn’t much to report. Insects=Virus, not many ways newscasters can draw that out into an entire segment.

9 Mosquitos

Small pesky insects are infecting civilians with a dangerous virus sounds like something straight out of a Horror film. Unfortunately, it’s a reality. Mosquitos are survivors, they are hardy, making it even more challenging to contain, prevent and eradicate the deadly viruses that they carry.

Mosquitoes are the leading transmitters of the Zika Virus the particular species that carries it is known as the Aedes Mosquito. There are few places in the world that this insect doesn’t reside.

The Aedes Mosquito has quite the resume, as it is also known for carrying other well-known flaviviruses like dengue and chikungunya. Both are dangerous viruses that claim the lives of thousands each year. The Center for Disease Control estimates that every year approximately 400 million people contract dengue. Cases of dengue are most commonly seen Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

Equally as critical; chikungunya can be found in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.^[2] This virus causes fever and joint pain that can be disabling. Similar to Zika, there are no vaccines for dengue and chikungunya.

8 Prevention

How do you stop tiny insects from biting you? Most of the time you can’t. Prevention methods that have been released by the Center for Disease Control are not bullet proof. As there is no vaccine at this time for the virus, prevention is all we have. Never leaving home is beginning to sound more and more appealing. However for those brave souls living in Zika ridden areas that venture outside, things such as pre-treated clothing and insect repellant can be a lifesaver.

In Miami-Dade County, Florida schools were urged to implement a long sleeve dress code in efforts to protect their students.^[3] As we all know, doors and windows don’t always stop mosquitoes from getting inside. In areas where Zika has been documented it is important to use door and window screens, as well mosquito netting around beds and used to cover cribs as well.

7 Guillain-Barr syndrome

The World Health Organization announced that a link between the Zika virus and Guillain-Barr syndrome had been confirmed. Researchers have collected data suggesting Zika may even cause this life-altering disorder. GBS is a disorder that causes the body’s immune system to attack part of the peripheral nervous system, often rendering its victims paralyzed.

Some cases, when most severe, are even life threatening. Respiratory failure is another common complication associated with GBS. French Polynesia claims the largest amount of Zika related GBS.^[4] In an uncontrollable outbreak spanning from 2013-2014, forty-two cases of Guillain-Barr syndrome were detected.

6 Symptoms

The symptoms of the Zika virus sound like something off of a commercial for heart medication (“contact your doctor if you encounter; dizziness, heart attack, blood thinning, or death.” YIKES). Fortunately, there have been very few instances of hospitalization and complications due to symptoms.^[5] Only about 1 out of 5 people infected experience any symptom.

Most symptoms of this virus include your general unpleasantries such as fever, rash, headache, joint pain, conjunctivitis, and muscle pain. Zika is thought to remain in the bloodstream of the infected person for about a week. The more critical symptoms are the ones in which are transmitted from mother to child.

5 Treatment

What is scarier than being poked and prodded to obtain treatment? No treatment at all.

Those who have been infected with the virus receive no treatment distinct to the virus. Healthcare providers have been advising victims to merely treat the individual symptoms. For example taking medicines like Tylenol to combat the fever and pain. Sleep is also advised, as well as drinking plenty of fluids. Unfortunately, being a virus with no vaccine or treatment there is not much else to do other than wait it out and take care of one’s body.

The The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has confirmed that they are working on developing an effective Zika vaccine. Researchers have stated that they are “pursuing a DNA-based vaccine.^[6] The West Nile vaccine is also DNA-based and has been proven effective. NIAID researchers are still in the early phases of developing the Zika vaccine, and it looks promising.

4 Transmission

Sex, bugs, blood transfusion and from mother to child are the ways in which Zika gets around the block. Although there are no confirmed cases, it is thought that Zika can be passed through blood transfusion.^[7] The Aedes species of mosquito are active both during the day and at night. These flying terrors become infected when they “feed” on a person that is infected with Zika, and from there the cycle continues.

As if STDs aren’t scary enough, add Zika to your list of things to be paranoid about when having intercourse with some possibly “less than familiar.” Through sex, the virus can be passed before symptoms start, while symptoms are present and even after they concluded. Even more frightening, researchers believe that someone who carries Zika yet never develops symptoms can still pass it along during sex. It is recommended that extra precautions be taken when “gettin it on” with someone who may have Zika—as in just wear the dang condom, or better yet: abstain!

3 Research

With the first confirmed case of the virus only as far back as 1947, researchers haven’t made many groundbreaking discoveries since. Partly due to the time gap in cases, research was put on hold for some number of years. The very first confirmed case of the Zika virus was documented in 1947, but there were few other cases cited until more recent years.^[8] It was difficult for researchers to study an apparently sporadic virus. Not to mention funding for these data collections and studies are more challenging to pin down when the virus isn’t actively taking the lives of thousands of people. (Not to undermine the symptoms or severity of Zika).

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has been concentrating on studying such flaviviruses for years. They have been trying to tackle viruses such as dengue, West Nile virus, and yellow fever. Within the recent years they have added Zika to their list. Aiming to obtain a stronger understanding of things like viral genetics and pathogenesis will be monumental in the fight against Zika and other flaviviruses. They are working to gain a greater understanding of how the virus works. Researchers for NIAID are focusing their efforts on studying animals models, in hopes of discovering the long term effects of Zika.

2 Countries devastated

Forty-eight countries across the globe have been distraught by the impacts of the Zika virus. With travel notices spanning the globe, traveling to some places will never be the same. Mexico, African, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, the Pacific Islands, and South America are all places that have all been touched by the virus. Some of the countries in which it has hit the hardest as low-resource countries, making treatment and recovery more difficult. In areas like that, it is more likely for victims of the virus to suffer from more severe complications and even death.

With travel notices being publically released, tourism in these areas was stunned, to say the least. The 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro took a hit due to the virus. In light of recent travel notices and cautions, some athletes decided to sit this one out. Attendance was notably lower than past summer olympics.^[9] The World Health Organization released a statement that they had concluded no one had been infected with the virus while at the games, fortunately. They believe that there were no cases during this time due the fact that August is actually Rio de Janeiro’s winter, meaning mosquitos are significantly less active.

Just within the U.S., Texas and Florida were hit hard by the wave of suddenly concerned citizens. It was in December of 2016 that Texas confirmed its first case, shortly after they began to identify cities within the state that the Zika carrying mosquitos has traveled to. Around the same time frame Miami-Dade County, Florida was designated as a Zika cautionary zone.

1 Women and children

One of the most shattering discoveries made is that a pregnant woman can pass Zika to her fetus. In 2016 there were 642 pregnant women diagnosed with the virus in the United States. If a woman is infected with the Zika virus during her pregnancy, it causes microcephaly. Microcephaly is a birth defect that causes the baby’s head to be smaller, meaning they also have significantly smaller brains as a result.^[10] This congenital disability is detrimental to the proper development of the fetus. Congenital Zika Syndrome is what researchers have named the string of birth defects connected with fetuses and babies infected with Zika.

The Center for Disease Control has identified five characteristics of CZS: severe microcephaly that results in partial skull collapse, lack of brain tissue, eye/ vision damage, clubfoot or other joint injuries, and an inappropriately high level of muscle tone. The data collected shows that not all babies born with CZS will have all of the difficulties listed.

Researchers still don’t have enough data to know the impacts of Zika on future pregnancies. The most recent thoughts are that the Zika virus in a woman who is not pregnant would not pose a threat to future pregnancies (once the virus has officially left her blood). Physicians have a big concern especially for children who appear to have no defects at birth, as other congenital infections are known to cause problems years later in apparently unaffected children.

Janet Lyon is a college student striving to be an educated and contributing member of society.

While computer viruses are still not as dangerous as actual, real-life viruses, they can still cause a significant amount of damage if they’re left out in the open and allowed to infect a large number of computers – much like their natural counterparts. In the past few years, viruses and other similar types of mass cyber attacks have managed to cause a lot of real harm to people and businesses around the world, often in the form of loss of crucial data and financial damages. 

10. Stuxnet

The Stuxnet worm was discovered on June 17, 2010 by an antivirus firm called VirusBlokAda. Widely considered one of the most sophisticated cyber weapons ever created, it was a malicious computer program that was designed to target industrial control systems, specifically those used in Iran’s nuclear program. The worm was able to infiltrate the country’s computer networks and spread rapidly due to its aggressive nature, soon spilling outside the borders of its intended target.

Stuxnet was a type of cyber attack known as a “worm,” which is able to self-replicate and spread from one computer to another without human intervention. In the case of Iran’s nuclear program, Stuxnet was specifically designed to target the centrifuges used to enrich uranium, causing them to malfunction. According to reports, the worm was successful in infecting thousands of computers, along with setting Iran’s nuclear program by several years, especially due to its sabotage of the systems at the Natanz nuclear facility. 

9. MyDoom

MyDoom, also known as Novarg, is a malicious computer program discovered in January 2004. It’s a worm-type virus that spreads through email attachments, file-sharing networks, and other channels. Once a computer is infected, MyDoom can use it to send out spam emails, launch denial-of-service attacks, and collect sensitive information, among a bunch of other harmful applications.

MyDoom usually arrives in emails with subject lines that appear legitimate, often tricking users into downloading and running the malicious code. It caused quite a bit of damage and disruption in its early days, infecting millions of systems and causing about $38 billion in damages. 

MyDoom was also responsible for a number of high-profile denial-of-service attacks, including the one against Microsoft, resulting in their websites being unavailable for several days. According to one estimate, the virus infected about 1 in 12 emails at its peak, making it one of the largest cyber attacks in history. 

8. Klez

The Klez virus was a mass-mailing worm first detected in December, 2001. Its first variant was capable of spreading through email attachments and Internet Explorer, primarily affecting computers running Microsoft Windows. Since then, multiple, advanced variants have been discovered, including ones that can easily spoof email addresses from authentic sources.

The Klez virus and its variants are particularly dangerous due to their ability to modify or delete files on an infected computer. It can also steal email addresses and passwords, making it a major threat to the data stored by personal and business computer users. Some Klez versions are even capable of disabling antivirus software and creating backdoors for hackers to gain access to the machine, leading to more serious crimes. The Klez virus caused global damage in the early 2000s, as it infected millions of computers and email servers worldwide. 

7. SoBig

The Sobig virus first started infecting computers in 2003. It was a kind of a computer worm that used email and shared network folders to spread rapidly to other computers. Sobig even had the ability to create its own server, allowing it to send out infected emails to thousands of users without a host email account. At the time, it was also called the fastest e-mail virus outbreak in history, far surpassing the previous record held by Klez.

Sobig specifically targets computers running on Microsoft Windows. Much like other successful viruses, it uses the tried-and-tested email network to spread around, specifically email attachments. At its peak, more than 1 million copies of Sobig were found in emails around the world, as reported by a digital security firm called MessageLabs Inc. Apart from causing real-life financial losses, the virus also had an immeasurable impact on people that lost valuable data or documents in the attack.

6. Zeus

Zeus was a type of Trojan virus first discovered during a cyber attack against the United States Department of Transportation. It’s a financial or banking virus, designed to steal sensitive information from infected computers like banking credentials, credit card numbers, and other personal details. While it could pass around in a number of ways, the Zeus Trojan primarily spread through email attachments, malicious downloads, or vulnerabilities in web browsers and other online software.

Zeus can remain hidden and undetected for long periods of time, as it gets lodged in a computer or security system and continuously captures sensitive data to send it back to the attackers. Later variants were even capable of keylogging, taking screenshots, and stealing login credentials from user activity. Zeus has been known to target financial institutions, government agencies, and corporations, making it a significant threat to everyday users and large organizations alike.

5. CryptoLocker

CryptoLocker is now a fairly well-known type of malware that encrypts a victim’s files and demands payment in exchange for the decryption key, or some other variation of it. It can spread in a variety of ways, typically email attachments, file-sharing sites, and downloads. CryptoLocker primarily targets Windows users and has been known to rapidly spread across networks if left unchecked. 

Once installed on a victim’s computer, the malware encrypts files using a strong encryption algorithm, making them inaccessible without a password or key only known to the hacker. They then demand payment in exchange, usually in the form of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. Depending on the victim and attacker, the ransom could range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.

CryptoLocker is what we know as ransomware – a specific type of malware that causes damages worth billions of dollars around the world every year. It can even shut down systems critical for public safety and well-being, like hospitals and government agencies, until a ransom is paid out, making it all the more dangerous in the larger scheme of things.

4. PlugX

PlugX is a type of Remote Access Trojan (RAT) used by cybercriminals for a specific type of cyber attack known as an Advanced Persistent threat (APT) attack. RATs are malicious software that give attackers remote access to a victim’s computer, allowing them to control it like they were physically there. PlugX is typically delivered through targeted phishing emails or software vulnerabilities. Once installed, it can give attackers complete control over an infected system, allowing them to steal data, execute commands, and install additional malware.

PlugX has been linked with the military, as it has been used in targeted attacks against government agencies, defense contractors, and other high-value targets. It’s particularly effective at evading detection by security software, as it can remain undetected on a compromised system for long periods of time. Once an attacker gains access, they can use PlugX to attack the machine itself, or infect it and use it as a jumping-off point to other, more important systems on a network.

3. NIMDA

The Nimda virus was first detected in September 2001. It’s a sophisticated piece of code that spreads through multiple attack routes, including email, websites, and network shares. The virus combines the best techniques used in worms, viruses, and Trojan horse kind of attacks, and was capable of infecting both servers and workstations running on Microsoft Windows.

The Nimda virus has so far caused hundreds of millions in damages, as it can easily spread through features we use every day, like email attachments. Unlike other viruses, Nimda didn’t seek to cause harm to the files or network security of systems. It went for the more delayed, chaotic effect by slowing down the entire network for extended periods of time, usually by sophisticated denial-of-service attacks. Nimda is also capable of exploiting known vulnerabilities in web servers, allowing it to infect a large number of computers in a short period of time.

2. Fizzer

The Fizzer worm was first detected in 2003 by the antivirus firm Kaspersky Labs. It’s a complex and sophisticated malware, with the ability to spread through multiple channels like email, instant messaging, and file-sharing networks. When it was first discovered, Fizzer was rapidly spreading through the Kazaa network, as it infected a large number of computers before it could be found. 

Once installed on a computer, the Fizzer virus can perform a wide range of malicious actions, like stealing passwords, credit card numbers, and personal data, along with disabling security software to open backdoors for more advanced actions. Some versions have even been known to send infected emails to the victim’s contacts, increasing the likelihood of further infection to other systems. Fizzer remains one of the most widespread viruses in the world, even if it’s no longer as effective as it used to be back when P2P file-sharing was still popular.  

1. Sircam

The Sircam worm was discovered in July 2001, and it quickly became one of the most widespread and damaging computer viruses of all time. It was designed to primarily spread through email and network shares, using a variety of tricks to lure users into opening infected email attachments. Once installed on a system, the worm would attempt to spread to other computers on the same network, combined with malicious actions like deleting files and sending itself to all the contacts in the user’s email address book.

Sircam caused billions in damages and infected millions of computers worldwide, largely due to its resilience and highly-infectious nature, as it was difficult to detect and remove in many cases. At its peak, Sircam accounted for a large percentage of virus infections online, making it one of the largest security threats ever. Thankfully, Sircam is no longer as active as it once used to be, though it remains a threat for certain legacy Microsoft operating systems still in use for specific purposes.