A new Ebola outbreak has emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern Ituri province, according to the country's health ministry, which has reported the death toll to be 65 so far.
About Ebola:
It is a severe and often deadly viral disease caused by a group of viruses known as orthoebolaviruses (formerly ebolavirus).
It is a severe contagious disease affecting humans and non-human primates.
Ebola, first identified in 1976 in southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, primarily affects remote villages in Central and West Africa.
It is known as a hemorrhagic fever virus because it can cause problems with the clotting system of the body and lead to internal bleeding as blood leaks from small blood vessels.
Transmission:
The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals (such as fruit bats, porcupines, and non-human primates).
It then spreads in the human population through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected people and with surfaces and materials contaminated with these fluids.
Ebola cannot be transmitted by air.
Infectious period:
Infected individuals are not contagious during the incubation period and become infectious once they begin to develop symptoms.
They remain infectious as long as the virus is present in the blood.
Treatment:
There is no known cure for Ebola.
There are no approved drugs or vaccines available to treat EVD, although experimental vaccines and therapeutics are being tested.
Recovery seems to depend in part on how much virus a person was initially exposed to, how early treatment is started, and on the patient's age and immune response.
Chances of survival can be improved with early supportive care.
Current therapy consists of maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance and the administration of blood and plasma to control bleeding.
Dear Student,
You have still not entered your mailing address. Please enter the address where all the study materials will be sent to you. (If applicable).
