Ebola virus main symptoms, signs and what you can do to protect yourself

October 29, 2014 Tigrai Online

What is Ebola?

Ebola is a deadly and dangerous disease cased by a virus. The Ebola virus was first found in 1976 in what is now Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Some people believe it was created by western powers to use it as a weapon, but there is no hard evidence to support this theory.

What are the symptoms of Ebola?

Symptoms of Ebola are very similar to the common cold and flue in the first stages of the disease. Infected people would complain about headache, muscle ache, fatigue and weakness. As the Ebola virus spreads in the infected persons body, other serous symptoms like bleeding, redness of the eyes, vomiting, body rash and diarrhea will follow.

At the final stages the victim of Ebola will die from hemorrhagic internal and external bleeding. The small rash on their skin will turn to huge blisters. As the virus destroys the Ebola victims internal organs, they will have hard time breathing and their blood vessels will rupture causing to bleed from every opening in the body.

How do you catch the Ebola virus disease?

Ebola is highly transmitting disease. You can only get Ebola by direct contact with body fluids from an infected person. The body fluids include:

blood
Fleeces (any poop it does not matter if it is diarrhea or not)
Vomit, Saliva, anything that came out the mouth or nose
Urine, Sweat and Semen
Breast milk

Basically if you touch anything that comes out of an Ebola victim alive or dead will give you the disease.

How do you protect from getting Ebola?

The best thing you can do to protect yourself from Ebola is to stay away from direct and indirect contact with people who are sick from Ebola. Avoid touching any objects that were used by an Ebola patient. Wash your hands with warm water and soup. Don't touch a sick person or a dead person. Avoid crowded places and traveling to west Africa or to where Ebola is aggressively spreading. If you see a person with above symptoms avoid them.

If you get the virus go to the hospital immediately and don't make any physical contact with anyone including your family.

The Ebola virus is spreading in West Africa for almost two years. Thousand of people have died from the disease and still number of infected people is increasing.

The United Nations is trying to contain the virus to the rest of the world. So far Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone are the three countries hardest hit by Ebola. Nigeria and Senegal are had some victims but the spread is slowing down in those two countries.

The Ebola virus under microscope

There are not any reports of Ebola in Ethiopia and in the greater Horn of Africa yet. That does not mean it would not shop anytime.

Recently the Ethiopian government announced it is sending 210 health workers to the most affected countries in West Africa. Ethiopia is also providing ten million birr assistance to the countries.

As one of the major powers in Africa, we don't expect less from Ethiopia, however extreme training and care should be given to those who are going to West Africa.

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Ebola Symptoms

Muscle Pain

Sever headache

Stomach Pain

Bleeding

Redness of the eyes

Loss of Appetite

Fever

Exhaustion (tired)

Diarrhea

Vomiting

Skin Rash