Should I be Concerned About Ebola when Climbing Kilimanjaro?

From 2014 to 2016, there was an Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

It was the “largest, most severe and most complex Ebola epidemic” in history, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). More than 28,000 people were infected, and 11,000 people died before the emergency ended in 2016. Most of the cases occurred in three countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.

What is Ebola?

The Ebola virus is a group of viruses that cause a hemorrhagic fever – bleeding inside and outside the body. Its mechanisms aren’t entirely known. Early symptoms include fever, muscle weakness, sore throat and headaches, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, body aches and nausea. As the disease progresses, the virus can impair kidney and liver function and lead to external and internal bleeding. 

Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with an infected person’s body fluids. Infected people are not contagious during the incubation period, which is approximately eight to 21 days, and only become contagious with the onset of symptoms. Therefore people who are most at risk are health care workers and families of infected people, not tourists.

Experts say that bats are the likely source of the deadly virus.

Is There Ebola in Tanzania?

While we understand your concern and care for your health, we are confident that it is safe to climb Kilimanjaro. The ebola virus does not pose any threat. We are always monitoring any and all situations that could negatively affect the health of our clients.

Should you become concerned with Ebola in the future, trip insurance, which is a requirement for participation in our trips, would reimburse you for expenses if you purchase the optional coverage “Cancel for Any Reason.”

Most people affected by the outbreak were in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. There were also cases in Nigeria, Mali, Europe, and the U.S. There were and have been no cases in Tanzania.

[UPDATE: In September 2019, there were rumors that there was one suspected fatal case of Ebola in Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s health minister Ummy Mwalimu stated that there were two suspected cases of Ebola, but tests were negative.]

How Close is Ebola to Tanzania?

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As mentioned above, there is no Ebola in Tanzania currently and there has never been a case of Ebola in Tanzania. The current outbreak in Western Africa is as far away from Tanzania as Europe, as the map shows, more than 3,300 miles.

There is virtually zero chance of contracting Ebola while in Tanzania.

What are the Odds of Dying from Ebola?

For a person living in the United States, the odds of dying from Ebola is 1 in 3,934,300, or 0.000002%. Although a Sierra Leone doctor in Nebraska and a Liberian visitor in Dallas have died of the disease, the odds of dying from Ebola are far surpassed by almost every other alternative.

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See Is There Coronavirus in Tanzania?