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Activity No. I

Biostatistics and Epidemiology

Reflection Paper on the 1995 Movie Outbreak

“The single biggest threat to man’s continued dominance

On the planet is the virus.” – Joshua Lederberg

ALCALA, KARA F. l BSMT 2-C l MT105LAB C (2:30-5:30PM) TUE

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OUTBREAK: A Lamentable Interlude

By Kara F. Alcala

“If you think I’m lying, drop the bomb. If you

think I’m crazy, drop the bomb. But don’t drop the
bomb just because you’re following orders.” These
words were the searing dialogue from the movie that
left me anguished. This single line just synopsized
the whole staggering Obra Maestra, coercing me to
go through distinct emotions. The 1995 terrifying
movie Outbreak, which is based on a scenario that is
likely to happen about viral transmissions, typifies
the rapid spread of illness, death and panic that may
occur. The Motaba virus, a hemorrhagic virus
originating from a 1967 outbreak in Motaba Valley
where the crew was promised with treatments but
the plane only incinerates the camp with a firebomb,
took the lives of the many by affecting their internal
organs following an extreme internal bleeding. It
portrays a highly contagious lethal virus which
frequently mutates with a mortality rate of 100%.
While the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and the US Army Medical
Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
(USAMRIID) were working together to curb its
spread, a countrywide panic ensues. The movie not
only shows how the disease destroys the human
body but as well as the factors of health it abruptly
affects.
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The movie delineated several factors

affecting a wide range of health functioning and
quality-of-life outcomes. Some factors can be
influenced while others are more difficult to
control. There are a great deal of risk factors
that took part on the viral transmissions that
both the Motaba River Valley and Cedar Creek
have. Firstly, the human exposure to direct
contact with the body fluids of the infected
patients, poor personal hygiene and low level of
immunity are the primary modes of
transmission. For example, Jimbo was infected
by the direct projection of droplets when the
host animal sneezed at him whom he smuggled
from the Biotest Animal Holding Facility with the
help of a bribed guard and he eventually failed
to perform personal health etiquettes. Secondly,
the residents’ built houses in Cedar Creek have
no gaps and were very close, making the virus
to easily find for another susceptible host to kill.
For the reason that the virus can also be
transmitted through air, it has easily
contaminated the air quality of the entire
neighborhood. Lastly, the quality of water is
another risk factor. For example, the well which
is the source of water supply of the Motaba
River Valley residents were contaminated by
the man who was the first known infected case
and subsequently infecting the whole village.
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I have also soundly discerned other health factors including social factors which
considerably contributes to the health of individuals and the community they resides upon.
Firstly, the Americans were born with a full availability to educational opportunities but not
everyone were educated enough pertaining to healthcare. For example, the residents of Cedar
Creek were not informed with precautionary measures to take against the contagion such as
wearing facial masks considering that the virus has long become airborne and has unluckily
compels the infection to continue. Secondly, there were 18 million of American homes already
utilizes internet on 1995 (Pew Research Center, 2014). Notwithstanding the advent of
technology, the majority still depends on the mass media who were expected to diffuse trusted
information for the people to become fully aware of the issues concerning the public health
safety. However, it has a negative part as the authorities were hiding the bare truth by imposing
a media blackout for the entire town. For example, the residents of Cedar Creek were deprived
of the information which have caused them confusion. Above all, the media has highly uplift the
hope of killing the infectious bug as Colonel Daniels intruded at the ongoing forecast to inform
everyone to help find for the host Betsy the white-headed capuchin monkey whom was believed
as the last card to save the town’s 2,600 population from the Clean-Sweep military operation.

Economic and Political factors have both been widely recognized as crucial factors
affecting health and well-being. Initially, the illegal haunting and smuggling of wild animals which
have transpired in Africa are both on an indubitable demand worldwide. As portrayed in the
movie Outbreak, many of the diseases that become epidemics - wildlife is the culprit. According
to the CDC (2011), about 75% of the recently emerging infectious diseases affecting humans
are diseases of animal origin and approximately 60% of all human pathogens are zoonotic, a
disease that is transmissible to humans. In addition, the road construction project for the Motaba
village’s transportation system where the first known person infected was previously working
before his death, woefully sprang to the destruction of the rainforest as well its wildlife habitat to
paved ways for the vehicles and other means of transportation to pass. Thereby, the monkeys
were forced to migrate on nearby villages to locate for food and unconsciously infecting
humans.
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As seen in the movie, fear and

panic quickly set into the public when
they were threaten with the epidemic
getting under way. By such means, the
Military forces intruded by setting the
town under lockdown and implemented
rules including curfews. Moreover, the
US Constitution confers an individual
right to possess a firearm for
traditionally lawful purposes such as self-defense, likely exposing the citizens to crime and
violence mainly for those who wanted to violate the laws implemented. For example, those
witless residents who tried to run off from the town and fired bullets against the authorities yet
they were killed in the end. Also, the truth that was concealed for 30 years including the secret
experimentation of the E-11-01 anti-serum treatment made by Dr. Bill Ford is another sort of a
political factor as Gen. Donald McClintock aimed to use it as a biochemical weapon for
impending national defense including the development of a fuel air bomb which they said as the
most powerful non-nuclear weapon in their arsenal.

Biosafety is certainly a salient part on a laboratory setting

particularly on clinical preparedness to protect humans on handling
highly lethal biological agents. It provides expert advice on
developing appropriate protocols, safety equipment, techniques and
specially-designed buildings to protect the worker, community and
environment from an accidental exposure or unintentional release of
infectious agents. In the movie, there were Biosafety levels showed
in ascending order of containment, which are based on the severity of health-related risk
associated with the work being conducted, where Colonel Daniels and his crew were
consistently working at the Biosafety Level 4 as the novel virus has no known vaccine and
highly infectious. However, there were numerous instances of improper handling of the
equipment and lack of post-accidental measures taken. For example, the laboratory scientist
Henry Seward who accidentally breaks the vial on the spinning centrifuge as he was distracted
on the football game video. The virus then quickly mutated and infected the people inside the
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movie theatre. Another example would be Lieutenant Colonel Casey who has a lack of sleep
still pursued on doing the analysis of the samples then he accidentally torn his suit as well as
failing to perform post-accidental measures. Also, Dr. Robby from CDC was accidentally
exposed to needle stick injuries when she was treating Casey.

From the observations obtained, my

conclusions were drawn that outbreaks can
cause severe damage through multiple
channels and ensuing negative shocks to
national progress. It feels woefully sad as
regards to the poor discernment of both the
state and its citizens. Also, the consecutive
deaths were truly distressing as it feels the
same way for me on going through this
lamentable interlude brought by COVID-19
Pandemic. In the movie, there were an
increase of political stresses and tensions
including outbreak response measures such as
the quarantine protocols which have sparked
violence. The moral lesson that somehow
sprang to me was the fairness it brings. For
example, anyone can be infected regardless of
money, gender, ethnicity, beliefs, country and
lifestyle. They have also presented different
social status – the rich, the average and the
poor. Notwithstanding the catastrophic
condition of Cedar Creek, the movie has taught
us the eminent role of Epidemiology. It has
highly contributed for the outbreak to be
resolved as it is brimmed with insights about
the physiological alteration in the infected body
as well as the hefty contract tracing of the
infected cases. By such means, it became the
vital grounds for the right diagnoses and
treatments of patients and other pertinent steps
for the healthcare workers to put into effect.