Two Montanans with deep ties to Africa are sharing what life looks like on the ground amid concerns over the Ebola outbreak — and what it could mean for their ability to return.
To hear their stories, watch below:
Conor Molloy, who works with a humanitarian group in Kenya, said the disease carries a significant psychological burden.
"Ebola has a lot of kind of fear associated with it and...a horrendous disease with a high mortality rate," Molloy, who is from Helena, said.
Annette Leivestad spends six months out of the year living in Uganda, where she and her organization have helped people for 16 years.
"We are now full-time around the year helping the people in Rippon," Leivestad, a Baker resident, said.
Leivestad said travelers are already taking the situation seriously.
"Anybody flying into the United States right now is going to be well aware that they need to be cautious of anything happening," Leivestad said.
While the World Health Organization says the risk to people in the United States remains low, both Montanans are watching the situation closely.
"So the odds of this spreading in the US are slim to none, and slim is very slim," Leivestad said.
Still, the concern is that they may not be able to return to Africa after coming home later this year.
"And hopefully, all things considered, they will let us come into the country, you know, and so there won't be that problem," Leivestad said.
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Molloy echoed that uncertainty.
"I think the aspects that are outside of our control are whether or not countries shut down travel and shut down airspace and flights from one location to another," Molloy said.
The question of a case reaching the U.S. is not lost on either of them.
"Would a case come through and then discover it? That's the possibility, but that person is going to have access to things that people in the DRC are not going to have access to," Leivestad said.
Molloy has colleagues working in the region hardest hit by the outbreak.
"I've got 20 colleagues on the ground in Boonia in a Turi province in the eastern DRC, which is the heart of the outbreak at the moment," Molloy said.
The Centers for Disease Control says Ebola is spread through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a person who is sick or has died from Ebola.
"Prevention is just using good sense and not touching body fluids. (...) You'll be fine," Leivestad said.
Molloy said the community response is just as critical as the medical one.
"That social response is almost as important as the clinical response if not more so…in order to get people to address and get a handle on the situation to prevent further (...) spread," Molloy said.
Despite changes to summer plans, Molloy said something about Montana's character stands out in moments like this.
"I think being from Montana, there's a strong streak of independence in the state and there's a strong… Let's get on with it and get things done mentality in the state. And there's also a real sense of community," Molloy said.
Leivestad closed with a message for anyone considering travel to Africa.
"Don't let an Ebola outbreak scare you from coming to Africa and experiencing its beauty. It is absolutely breathtaking," Leivestad said.
