Ebola informative speech

INTRODUCTION:
ATTENTION GRABBER: Imagine being isolated from your own family and feeling unsure as to whether or not you will ever see them again. They do not want to come anywhere near you, for you are a threat to their health. The only visitors who come with in 10 feet of you are strangers in full on protective gear. They do not want to expose the slightest bit of skin to you and you can not see anything besides their eyes. The world fears what you are and no one wants to come close to you. You know death is near, and you are all alone.

TOPIC: Today I will tell you about the rare and deadly virus called Ebola.

PREVIEW: First, I will give you information about the virus itself. Secondly, I will talk about why Americans have every right to live in fear, and finally I will tell you how to prevent the spread of this deadly disease.

**1st Transition**Now that I have outlined my discussion, lets discuss how Ebola was discovered.

BODY
FIRST POINT: Ebola first appeared in Central Africa in 1976. In this first outbreak, 280 of 318 people who contracted Ebola, died. That’s an 88% fatality rate. Ebola researchers believe that the natural host of Ebola are fruit bats, and the virus is first transmitted to non-human primates and then to humans through bush meat trade. It is also possible that there is direct transmission from the bats to humans. The virus causes white blood cells to rupture and prevent blood from clotting. Early symptoms are flu-like, but in the final stages of the disease, patient’s eyes turn red, body parts swell, and sufferers appear to be bruised all over from internal bleeding. Sufferers also bleed from all orifices. The virus is spread through transmission of bodily fluids like vomit, saliva and urine. In 1994, Richard Preston, the New Yorker contributor who has written a number of books on infectious disease, commented, “Ebola does in 10 days what it takes AIDS 10 years to accomplish.”

**2nd Transition**Now that we have gone over the bases of Ebola, lets move on to the second point and evaluate the fear that is put on Americans and why.

SECOND POINT: Although an outbreak in America is highly unlikely, the fact that Ebola has been diagnosed on American soil brings fear to all. Because of its infectiousness and long incubation period, and the banality of early symptoms, it can be difficult to track and contain. We also do not have a cure for this disease, sure we have experimental drugs, but nothing official. The spread has been much quicker in this outbreak than others, affecting both urban and rural areas. Usual protective measures to prevent the spread appear to be less effective in this epidemic. What ebola does to the human body defies reason and is something like out of a horror movie, not a text book. Americans feel hopeless and vulnerable because Ebola is here. The victim who flew from Liberia to Dallas, Texas on September 30th of this year did expose others and there is a risk of it spreading. The Ebola virus is the most terrifying and least-understood virus known to man. We are witnessing the onset of a deadly mutation anticipated and feared for almost four decades. Americans have watched fully informed and trained health care workers contract Ebola.

**3rd Transition** Now that we are aware of the amount of fear, and why there is so much of it, lets turn our attention to some methods of prevention.

THIRD POINT: There is no FDA approved vaccine currently available for Ebola. It is very important that everyone practices careful hygiene. Always wash hands with soap and water and avoid any contact with someone who may be infected, whether that be bodily fluids or items such as clothes or sheets. The best way to avoid catching this disease would be not traveling to areas where it is found. **4th Transition**Now that we know the serious effects and tolls Ebola has on people, lets review what we have discussed so far.

CONCLUSION
REVIEW: Today I shared with you information concerning Ebola; why Americans should fear this epidemic, and finally how one can prevent contracting and spreading this disease.

ENDING: You are now aware that you have Ebola. You know how it ends and how everyone has ended up so far. You have the disadvantage of having the knowledge of the course of this disease; and you know there is no approved cure. Imagine that you are a doctor who took every safety precaution possible. You have seen what it does to people and you are about to be one of them.