BUT THIS ARE KEY FACTS Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. EVD outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 90%. EVD outbreaks occur primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests. The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission. Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are considered to be the natural host of the Ebola virus. Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. No licensed specific treatment or vaccine is available for use in people or animals. HOW DO YOU GET EBOLA? You can get Ebola by coming into contact with the blood or body fluids of an animal or person who is infected. People often get sick with Ebola when they care for or bury a person who has the disease. Someone also can catch the virus by touching contaminated needles or surfaces. WHAT ARE THE SYMTOMS OF EBOLA? Symptoms of the Ebola virus show up 2 to 21 days after someone is infected. As the virus spreads through the body’s cells, it damages the immune system and organs. Ultimately, Ebola causes levels of blood-clotting cells, called platelets, to fall, which can lead to severe bleeding. Many of the early symptoms of Ebola look like the flu or other mild illnesses. They include: Fever Headache Muscle aches Sore throat Weakness Diarrhea As the disease gets worse, people who are infected may develop: Bleeding inside and outside of the body Rash Trouble breathing HOW CAN I TELL IF SOMEONE HAS EBOLA? Sometimes it’s hard to tell if a person has Ebola from the symptoms alone. Doctors may first test for other diseases that have the same symptoms as Ebola, such as:Cholera, Hepatitis, Malaria, Meningitis, Typhoid fever. Tests of the blood and tissues, such as the ELISA test, also can help diagnose Ebola. If someone might have Ebola, they should be isolated from the public immediately to help prevent the spread of Ebola. HOW IS EBOLA TREATED? Right now there is no real treatment or cure for Ebola. Doctors try to manage people’s symptoms by giving them: Fluids and electrolytes through a vein,Nutrition, Oxygen. HOW CAN YOU PREVENT EBOLA? There is no vaccine to prevent Ebola. People can avoid catching the disease by not traveling to areas where the virus is found. Health care workers can prevent infection by wearing masks, gloves, and goggles whenever they come into contact with people who may have Ebola. WHAT CAUSES EBOLA OUTBREAK? Usually an outbreak starts when someone comes into contact with the body fluids or waste of infected animals, such as monkeys, chimps, or fruit bats. Once a person is infected, he or she can then spread it to others. There are five different types of Ebola virus that cause the disease. Four of them are known to cause the disease in humans. The Ebola virus first appeared during two 1976 outbreaks in Africa. Ebola gets its name from the Ebola River, which is near one of the villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo where the disease first appeared. But please, we all need to be extremely careful Protect Yourself. There are a few things to protect yourself and your family. Dont mess around with this advice; remember, Ebola has no cure! Wash Your Hands with Soap; do this a lot. You can also use a good hand sanitizer. Avoid unnecessary contact! Disinfect Your Surroundings. The virus cannot survive disinfectants, heat, direct sunlight, detergents and soaps. Clean up!Fumigate If you Have Pests. Fumigate your environment & dispose of the carcasses properly! Better a clean environment for you! Dont Touch Carcasses. Dead bodies can stilltransmit Ebola. Dont touch them without protective gear or avoid them altogether. Protect Yourself. Use protective gear if you must care or go near someone you suspect has Ebola. Educate Everyone. Tell your neighbours, colleagues and domestic staff. Youre safer when everyone is educated about Ebola. Spread the Word. Were all safer when more people know about this.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 11:48:09 +0000
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