EBOLA:
Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) is a febrile hemorrhagic illness, which causes death in 50-90% of all clinically ill cases. Ebola virus, Filoviridae family, is comprised of four distinct subtypes: Zaïre, Sudan, Côte d’Ivoire and Reston. Three subtypes, occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and Côte d’Ivoire, have been identified as causing illness in humans.
Cause: The Ebola virus is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected persons. Burial ceremonies where mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person can play a significant role in the transmission of Ebola.
Symptoms: Ebola is often characterized by the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is often followed by vomiting, diarrhea, impaired kidney and liver and, in some cases, both internal and external bleeding.
New cases: 1,850 cases since Ebola’s discovery in 1976
Deaths: 1,200 deaths since 1976
Sources
World Health Organization on Ebola
Official website for Center for Disease Control and Prevention
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