After reports spread across mainstream and social media about
a suspected case of Ebola in Rift Valley where a woman was on Sunday admitted
in Kericho Hospital, the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Health Sicily
Kariuki has reassured Kenyans that no case of Ebola has been confirmed in the
country urging the public to be careful and vigilant.
Ebola has been in the headlines for decades and Kenya is
always on the lookout due to the nation’s proximity to Congo, which has been
one of the most affected countries year in and out.
What is Ebola?
According to World Health Organization (WHO), Ebola Virus
Disease is a viral infection proven fatal in human beings. It is believed to
originate from bats mainly and was first identified in 1976 with two outbreaks;
one in the present day Nzara, South Sudan and the other in Yambuku, DRC in a
village near Ebola River, no wonder the name Ebola Virus.
What hosts or carries the Ebola Virus?
WHO believes that fruit bats are the natural hosts of the
virus. How does the disease get into the human body? It is through close
contact with blood, secretions, other bodily fluids, or organs of infected
fruit bats, gorillas, monkeys, chimpanzees, porcupines, or forest antelopes or
those that died due to the virus.
Once an individual catches the diseases, one can transmit it
to another person through body fluids such as feces, vomit or blood; contaminated
objects, and even sexual contact.
How long does it take to develop symptoms? WHO says 2-21days is
the incubation period of the virus, that is, the time between infection with
the virus and the onset of the symptoms. One can only spread the disease after
developing symptoms not before.
Symptoms
The early signs of Ebola contraction include fever, muscle
pain, sore throat, fatigue, and headache. Malaria, typhoid fever, and meningitis
have similar symptoms that is why proper diagnosis is crucial. They later
advance to a rash, diarrhea, vomiting, and in some cases internal and external
bleeding.
Treatment
So far, Ebola has no cure. What specialists do is manage the
condition through supportive care such as re-hydration and treating specific symptoms
to boost survival. However, experts are already working on possible treatments
including vaccines, drugs, and immune therapies.
Prevention
To prevent and control transmission of the virus, avoid
direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected person. As for healthcare
providers, they have to wear proper gear, handle dead bodies and lab equipment
carefully, and dispose them as per the regulations.