Natural Selection Insights from the Ebola Outbreak

The video discusses the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, highlighting its origins, spread, and impact on healthcare systems. It explains how viruses mutate and evolve, emphasizing the importance of understanding viral genomes. The outbreak's devastating effects on healthcare workers and systems are explored, along with lessons learned for future pandemic preparedness. The need for rapid response and improved health infrastructure is stressed to prevent similar crises.

Where did the Ebola outbreak initially start?

• Sierra Leone

• Nigeria

• Guinea

• Liberia

What is the primary mode of Ebola transmission?

• Airborne

• Waterborne

• Direct contact with body fluids

• Contaminated food

What role does a computational geneticist play in understanding viruses?

• Developing vaccines

• Studying virus genomes

• Treating infected patients

• Enforcing quarantine measures

How did the Ebola virus mutation affect its spread?

• No change in infectivity

• Increased infectivity specific to humans

• Made it less harmful

• Decreased infectivity

What was a major challenge faced by Sierra Leone during the Ebola outbreak?

• Excessive healthcare facilities

• Effective vaccine availability

• High population density and poor roads

• Lack of international aid

What percentage of the deaths during the outbreak were healthcare workers?

• More than 15%

• About 7%

• About 10%

• Less than 5%

What was the estimated increased risk for health care workers during the Ebola outbreak?

• 5-fold

• 20-fold

• 15-fold

• 10-fold

What was the effect of the civil wars on the healthcare system in Sierra Leone?

• Destruction of many health clinics

• Increased international investments

• Improved healthcare efficiency

• No significant impact

Why is global health disparity a concern for pandemic preparedness?

• It can lead to uneven disease spread and control

• It affects economic stability

• It promotes faster recovery

• It limits travel between countries

What is the importance of understanding virus biology according to the video?

• To eradicate all viruses

• To develop better technology

• To control and respond to outbreaks

• To increase scientific publications