The current Ebola outbreak, which was first reported in December of 2013 in Guinea, is the worst Ebola outbreak in modern history. According to the World Health Organization, 8,033 cases have been reported, and as of Oct. 8., and 3,865 of those cases have been fatal.

The number of cases in the “hot zones,” where Ebola seems to be the most severe, which include Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, keep increasing exponentially, and it seems like the spread of the virus is anywhere but under control. The chances of the virus spreading to other countries is very high, according to BBC News.

The first trial for an Ebola vaccine, according to NBC News, started in Mali on Oct. 9. The vaccine, which was developed by the U.S National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was given to three health care workers in Mali even though the Ebola virus is not in The country. A clinical trial for another vaccine has also began at Oxford University’s Jenner Institute and an American called Nick Owen is one of the people who volunteered to serve as a “human guinea pig” for the trial, according to CNN.

If theses vaccines work, it will be a major improvement in the fight against Ebola. ZMapp, the medication that was given to two of the Americans who were infected with the virus in Sierra Leone has also proven to be an effective treatment for Ebola but the CDC said that all of that medication has been exhausted.

According to the CDC the effectiveness of the other experimental drug “brincidofovir” is unknown since Thomas Eric Duncan, the first person to be diagnosed with the virus in the U.S. died, even though officials he was given that experimental drug, according to CNN.

In an effort to control the spread of the virus, the White House has sent 4,000 troops to the hard hit areas to help with the set-up of treatment centers, said The Washington Post.

According to the CDC, this species of the virus is a Bio Safety four pathogen. This means that it is the strongest of its kind with the highest fatality rate. Some symptoms of the Ebola virus are fever, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, red eyes, difficulty breathing, and sore throat. It is highly recommended that if anyone experiences a couple of these symptoms that they seek immediate medical care out of an abundance of caution.

Countries that have suffered from the outbreak of the virus may face serious economic problems in the aftermath of the virus. If they do not get economic help, their citizens might suffer greatly in the aftermath of the outbreak.

As of now, most people in Dallas, Texas, do not want to associate with Librarians because of the fear of contracting the virus. In an effort to end this stigma, the family of Duncan have started campaigns to raise awareness about ways Ebola can be contracted and denounce the notion that one can get Ebola just by talking to a Liberian, said The New York Times.

Meanwhile, in Madrid, CNN has reported that the Spanish nurse’s assistant, Theresa Romero Ramos, was the first to be contacted with the virus in Europe is still in critical condition, but doing better. Since Ramos and the nurse in Texas were infected, questions have been raised to see if hospitals are even equipped around the world for the outbreak of the virus.

“Romero is stable, but remains in serious condition,” Antonio Andreu, director of the Carlos III Hospital in Madrid told reporters from BBC in a news conference on Tuesday. He insisted that the health care professionals at the hospital have the situation completely under control while a source told CNN that Romero is producing antibodies to fight off Ebola.