(#17-#21) For one ecological hazard: EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE

• An infectious and frequently fatal disease marked by fever and severe internal bleeding, spread through contact with infected bodily fluids'

• Symptoms: bleeding or bruising without obvious cause, impaired kidney and liver function, headaches, muscle joint and pain, loss of appetite, sore throat, and abdominal pain

#17 Describe the Characteristics of the Hazard

• Caused by one of the five strains (Zaire, Bundibugyo, Sudan/Tai Forest…)

• Passed through bodily fluids or skin of an infected person

• Zoonotic pathogen: passed through animals/eating fruit bats

#18 Explain the Causes of The Hazard

• Temporal: there have been around 30 human outbreaks of Ebola between 1976, and 2021, resulting in more than 30,000 reported cases and 11,310 deaths

• Spatial: Ebola is most commonly found in equatorial Africa, including Sudan, Gabon, Congo, and DRC. Other outbreaks occur in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

#19 Describe the Spatial and Temporal Distribution of the Hazard

Human:

• Urbanisation: LEDCs which are experiencing increased levels of urbanisation and improved infrastructure

• Behaviour: cultural practices that encourage interaction with sick and preparing bodies for burial, people escape outbreaks unknowingly infecting others.

• Health Systems: lack of health facilities and knowledge

Physical:

• Natural territory of pteropodidae fruit bats

• Climate:

  • rainfall (makes access difficult)

  • high humidity (encourages fruit production which therefore increases fruit bat foraging)

#20 Explain How Physical and/or Human Processes Determine The Spatial and Temporal Distribution of the Hazard

Physical Climate and Geography:

• LEDCs

  • Habitat for fruit bats

  • High humidity encourages fruit production

  • High rainfall - cases can’t be accessed or treated properly in floods

• MEDCs

  • No reliance on bushmeat as protein

  • Most MEDCs aren’t in fruit bat range

  • Travel occurs by plane, so screening and quarantine is controlled at the airport.

Human Poverty and Slums:

• LEDCs

  • Lack of slums

  • Low drinking water and poor sanitation

  • Bad infrastructure (healthcare, roads and communication)

• MEDCs

  • Best advanced healthcare

  • Better prepared pandemic policies in place

  • Widespread sanitation, adequate housing

  • Access to reliable communication and transport

Human Government Response:

• LEDCs

  • Disorganised

  • Lack of resources to respond effectively

  • Response is from NGO (non-governmental organisation)

  • Limited money

• MEDCs

  • Training

  • PPE

  • Quarrantine

  • Contact tracing

  • Organised response from public health

  • Lots of money (e.g 3.369 billion spent by USA)

Human Education:

• LEDCs

  • Low literacy and school attendees

  • Lack of understanding of health science

  • Low internet access or communication

  • Fear of Western healthcare

• MEDCs

  • Access to internet

  • High literacy and school attendees

  • Study found low education levels aligned with fear of outbreak

  • 60 million hits to the US government Ebola site

#21 Compare the Physical and Human Factors That Explain Why LEDCs Are More Vulnerable To The Hazard Than MEDCs