American aid workers infected with the Ebola virus are returning to the U.S. from Liberia for treatment. Twitter and Facebook have been buzzing with this news, and fear that surrounds the return of these citizens to our shores has gripped the nation.

It is not surprising that people are scared. There has never been a case of Ebola in the U.S. The patients will have to be kept in an isolation unit to prevent the spread of infection. There are no treatment protocols for Ebola. Simple comforts are prescribed, such as rehydration therapy.

This disease was first found in the Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It can now be found throughout the tropical regions of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Infection is spread through bodily fluids, and just touching a body can cause you to become infected. It is a highly contagious disease, and this is the worst outbreak of the virus we have ever seen in West Africa.

So far, 729 persons have died out of the 1,329 people who have been infected. Up to 90 percent of the patients with Ebola will die (see chart). The current breakout of Ebola has occurred in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

If you are in Sub-Saharan Africa, you can help prevent exposure by not touching an Ebola patient or their bodily fluids; avoiding monkeys and pigs that may be infected; avoiding the natural-host fruit bats; and following strict precautions when cooking and handling meat products. All animal products must be thoroughly cooked before consumption. Protective clothing must be worn if you are near a patient.

There is no known cure and no vaccine for Ebola; however, a vaccine will begin testing next month in the U.S. Symptoms start two days to three weeks after exposure. The first symptoms are flu-like: Patients will experience a sore throat, fever, muscle aches and pains, and headache. Following this will typically be nausea, vomiting, rash and diarrhea. Up to this point, it seems like a typical viral infection like the flu, but it will worsen. There will be reduced liver and kidney function followed by bleeding problems. The patient will have blood in bodily fluids and will bleed externally and internally, as well.

Could Ebola make its way to the United States? It is possible. It would most likely occur through human-to-human contact, from a person recently arriving from West Africa. Hospitals here are not prepared for an Ebola outbreak, and people are ill informed about the possibility of Ebola arriving on our shores.

It is wise to refrain from anyone’s bodily fluids when at all possible. This is not only true for Ebola, but other diseases, as well.

For now, you are safe in the U.S. There have been no outbreaks of Ebola here.

Chronology of previous Ebola virus disease outbreaks

Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel is executive director of the Community Hiking Club and president of the Santa Clara River Watershed Conservancy. If you’d like to be part of the solution, join the Community Hiking Club’s Stewardship Committee. Contact Dianne through communityhikingclub.org or at zuliebear@aol.com.