Ebola symptoms, causes, prevention and control
What is Ebola virus?
Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe often fatal illness in human beings and primate animals.
Ebola symptoms
The incubation period of Ebola virus is two to twenty-one days. This means that an infected person will begin to notice Ebola symptoms within two to twenty-one days. Early Ebola symptoms include fever fatigue, headache, sore throat, and muscle pains. Further symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, and rash. An infected person may later experience internal and external bleeding in some cases.
When was the Ebola outbreak? Where did Ebola start?
The first Ebola outbreak was recorded in 1976 in South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo. According to WHO ebola virus is transmitted from wild animals through direct contact with body fluids. It is transmitted through blood, secretions and other fluids through open skin.Ebola is transmitted from person to person through direct contact with fluids on the open skin. It is also transmitted by contact with contaminated surfaces like beddings and clothes. There is no evidence of transmition through sexual contact.
Prevention and control Ebola outbreak
Prevention and control of Ebola outbreak is very challenging. It requires collaborative effort among people surrounding the infected people. Again control of Ebola virus involves tracing other people who were in contact with the infected person. To prevent and control the spread of the virus WHO recommends the following measures:
- Reduce contact with wild animals. People should wear gloves and protective clothing when handling wild animals.
- To reduce transmition of Ebola virus between people to people, un-infected people should wear gloves and protective clothes when contacting infected people.
- When handling infected materials like beddings people should were gloves.
- Prompt and safe burial of the dead is encouraged.
- Avoid contact with semen from a person infected with Ebola
- Isolate patients with Ebola from uninfected people
- Avoid direct contacts with bats
- Practice hygiene
Ebola cure?
Cure for Ebola virus disease is no yet known. However, there some medical treatments available for infected persons. Some treatments include providing intravenous (IV), maintaining oxygen status and blood pressure. Ebola disease kills 25 to 90{5808e1736132a1fa864f6fc8b64688fbc0d5d9b8c9ab44aea1223eff99f9c2e7} of infected people. Death of infected people is reported between six to sixteen days after the onset of first symptoms of the disease. 2015 Ebola outbreak in West Africa is considered the largest and most complex in history.
Where is Ebola found?
Ebola news reports indicates that Ebola has been reported in several countries. Some countries that have been affected by Ebola virus disease are Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, United States, and Mali. There is a recent ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo.
See also Top 10 Causes of Death in Malawi
References