Ebola is one of the fastest spreading viruses currently spreading around the world. It is spread through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. On Sept. 24, 2014, American doctor Thomas Duncan started experiencing symptoms of the Ebola virus. He was diagnosed with Ebola four days later, and the people he came into contact with were put into isolation for observation. Duncan died on Oct. 8 after succumbing to the virus.

Although there are no reported cases of Ebola near Illinois, it is still a threat.

Antioch Community High School nurse Wanda Sobczak said, “It is most important to note that the chance of anyone getting Ebola in this state, this country, is very low.”

Currently, the list of states with confirmed Ebola victims include Texas and New York. The number of cases of Ebola from Centers for Disease Control in Africa is about 5,481 with a death rate of about 54 percent.

Although Illinois does not have any victims, reporter Marcus DiPaola from the Chicago area is being monitored for symptoms of Ebola.

The CDC has stated that, “Early Ebola symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain.”

To learn more about Ebola, check out http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/index.html.