What is Ebola? Ebola Virus Disease is the human disease caused by Ebola virus. It is also known as Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever.
How can it be contracted? Enzootic Cycle: New evidence strongly implicates bats as the reservior host for ebola virus, though the means of local enzootic maintainance and transmission of the virus within bat population remains unknown.
By contact with blood or bodily fluid of an infected animal
Through infected fruit bats
By consuming infected Bushmeat
How can it be Transmitted? When an initial human is infected by Ebola virus via any of the means mentioned, human to human infection can occur in two ways namely:
Direct Transmission:
Touching
Biting
Kissing
Sexual Intercourse
Unsafe burial practices
Indirect Transmission
Surgical or medical instruments
Biological products such as blood, serum, tissues or organs.
Bedding or clothing
Eating or cooking utensils and so much more
Signs and Symptoms Symptoms of Ebola Virus Disease typically start two days to three weeks after contracting the the ebolavirus with the following:
High fever
Weakness
Muscle pains
Headaches
Sore throat
Bloody diarrhea
Rashes
Nausea
Vomiting
Decreased functioning of liver and kidney
Bleeding (both internal and external)
Low white blood cells and platelet counts
Note: The disease becomes contagious when the signs start showing, it is not contagious during the incubation period. And infection can only be confirmed through Laboratory Testing.
How can it be prevented? The following can be done to prevent infection and stop/limit transmission:
Understand the nature of the disease
Wash and sanitize your hands regularly: Maintain good hygiene and sanitization practices in homes, public gatherings and hospitals.
Disinfect floors an surfaces regularly
Floors and surfaces may contain fluid/blood trails of infected people. Keep your floor disinfected so that you do not come in cotact with such fluid.
Avoid contact with infected carcases: Dead bodies of an infected animal or human carry
the virus. Bury carefully and keep away, or wear protective gear.
Avoid bushmeat: especially of Monkeys, Chimpanzee, and Bats.
Avoid physical contact with people showing signs and symptoms of the disease.
Wash fruits thoroughly: ensure your fruits are clean and do not eat plums already
eaten by bats
Cook food very well
Do not travel to areas where the disease is endemic
Stay away from any patient who may have the disease if an outbreak is suspected: do
not touch an infected person (dead or alive) or their body fluids (blood, vomit, faeces, urine etc.)
Listen to and follow directives issued by the Ministry of Health
For Health Care Workers
Protect yourself when handling infected animals/persons: Gloves and other appropriate
protectives should be worn when handling sick animals or their tissues.
Do not reuse protective equipments/clothing unless they have been properly disinfected
Procedures that can expose health workers to danger should be carried out under strict
and safe conditions
Infected people should be kept separate from other patients and healthy people as
much as possible.


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