The first record of the deadly disease in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy, with over 170 million people was made known yesterday in Lagos by a Liberian Man in his 40s. Hence, this calls for proper awareness and sensitization amongst the Nigerian people. What is Ebola? Ebola hemorrhagic fever as an often fatal disease that can by contracted by humans and nonhuman primates like monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees. It’s caused by the virus Ebolavirus, the first cases occurred in 1976 in Nzara, Sudan, and in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The first human outbreaks of Ebola on record occurred in Sudan and Zaire in 1976. The virus is named after the Ebola River in Africa. There have been other outbreaks reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Ivory Coast, Uganda, South Sudan, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, Guinea and Liberia, according to CNN. Where did Ebola come from and how is it transmitted? The original host of the disease is unknown, but researchers believe it definitely came from an animal, with bats being the most likely culprits. Ebola infects humans through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected animals, WHO says. Human-to-human transmission is more difficult, but it’s possible through close contact with bodily fluids of infected people. Health workers without proper protection can be infected, as well as people conducting burial ceremonies where they have direct contact with the body. What are the symptoms? The symptoms of Ebola can appear between two to 21 days after initial contact, and include fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat. These symptoms are followed by vomiting, diarrhea rash, and poor kidney and liver function. In some cases, a patient can also experience internal and external bleeding. How is it treated? There is no known cure or vaccine for Ebola. Patients are usually dehydrated, so they are given oral or intravenous fluid containing electrolyte[
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 05:54:59 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015