Ebola has garnered a great deal of attention since early 2014, with a massive outbreak of the virus in West Africa having claimed over 8,400 lives.

In the United States, there have been just four confirmed cases and one death linked to the virus. According to the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH), there is presently little concern about Ebola coming to the Ocean State.

Ebola is a rare disease that can be fatal if untreated. It spreads through the transmission of bodily fluids such as urine, saliva and breast milk, among others. It cannot be transmitted through air, water, food or casual contact.

Symptoms include fever, severe headaches and muscle pains, diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain, as well as unexplained bleeding and bruising. An individual begins to show symptoms between two and 21 days of exposure to the virus.

Christina Batastini, the chief officer of health promotion at HEALTH, said Rhode Islanders should be most focused on health risks other than Ebola.

“If you’re concerned about your health, get a flu shot,” she said. “The flu is a risk to your health, while Ebola is a minimal risk, if a risk at all.”

HEALTH has been following the strict monitoring guidelines set by the Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC). Rhode Island has been notified of all travelers coming from Liberia, Sierra Leone, New Guinea and Mali, the affected countries, so that they can go through proper monitoring upon their arrival. This includes travelers reporting their temperature and whether or not they are experiencing any symptoms daily for 21 days after they arrive.

“In the event a traveler begins to show symptoms, public health officials will implement an isolation and evaluation plan following appropriate protocols to limit exposure, and may direct the individual to a local hospital that has been trained to receive potential Ebola patients,” Batastini said.

Since Oct. 17, 62 people have gone through the monitoring, and 19 are currently still being monitored. The department plans to continue this type of monitoring as long as the CDC requires.

By following these guidelines, health officials say the possibility of Ebola coming to Rhode Island is slim.

For more information on Ebola and the CDC’s monitoring guidelines, visit www.cdc.gov.