On November 25, 2014, Eric Starbuck spoke at the Westport Public Library on the Ebola virus. Starbuck, who works for the Save the Children Foundation, recently returned from Mali where he worked with Ebola.

Recently, Ebola has sparked huge worry across the nation because of its extremely deathly consequences and harsh symptoms.

“The thing that’s so scary about the disease is that there is no successful cure as of now,” Noah Robins ’16 said.

However, these issues are far worse in West African nations, significantly Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone where thousands of people have become recently infected. Unfortunately, the number of cases are continually increasing, according to Starbuck.

These third-world countries are having difficulties treating citizens as many of their health care workers are underpaid and there are insufficient health centers.

Meanwhile, Save the Children is trying to help. They set the goal of creating 4461 open beds in specialist medical centres that they have begun building in Sierra Leone and Liberia by January 1, 2015. Furthermore, 166 burial teams have already been assembled by the foundation as of November 19, 2014.

In more developed societies, Starbuck explained, the virus is less likely to spread because those returning from infected areas are being quarantined, and people are aware of prevention methods such as staying hydrated.

“It was nice to finally hear a trustworthy source talk about Ebola,” Rachel Morrison ’16, an AP Environmental Sciences student who attended the talk, said. “There are so many rumors about it that are hard to decipher.”

While the presentation educated Staples students of the disease, we must still remain cautious as it has threatening health risks.

“Although only a few cases of Ebola have been found in the United States, it’s still concerning that we have found any at all,” Meg Fay ’15, another student who attended the session, said.