The Disease and its History.
Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic fever of human beings. Ebolaviruses is the main cause of the disease. Symptoms begin to show after 2-21 days after contracting the virus itself. Its first symptoms are fever, muscular aches, head pains, and sore throats.
The second set of symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea and rashes. Alongside this, there is a decreased use of organs like the liver and kidneys. When the disease attains this level, victims start to bleed internally and externally.
It kills between 25%-90% of the patients having the disease. This is because of reduced blood pressure from fluids loss. The virus spreads through physical contact with infected fluids from a person.
The spread may also happen from touching items that are in contamination with those fluids. Body fluids such as breast milk or seven of a human being after recovering from the disease may have the virus for weeks.
Diseases such as cholera, malaria, and meningitis resemble the Ebola virus disease. The scientists test the blood samples for viral antibodies or viral RNA to approve the diagnosis. Controlling its outbreak needs the community to be engaged fully. This comprises detection, tracing contacts, access to medical services, care and cremating the dead people.
Preventing EVD involves restricting the spread from infected animals to human beings by properly handling meat. This may be through wearing protective gear and cooking meat properly before consuming it. Besides, one should wash hands regularly just as in the case of the current coronavirus pandemic.
In 2019, the United States approved the vaccine. There is no specific treatment for the disease as of last year. However, medical professions recognize REGN-EB3 and mAb114 treatments for having better results.
Researchers identified the disease in 1976 in South Sudan and another in DRC. By 2013, the WHO reports over 20 outbreaks involving over 2000 cases and over 1500 fatalities. The biggest outbreak was in Western Africa which happened from late 2013 to early 2016. By then, there were over 28000 cases and over 11000 fatalities.
Ebola Disease in The Democratic Republic of Congo and the Story Of a 26-Year-Old Victim.
The outbreak began in 2017. Two years later, the WHO announced the Congo Ebola outbreak a global crisis. The disease seems to be still hovering in the country as cases are still present.
Yesterday, the DRC reported its 3rd new case of the EVD of a young girl. Besides, there were two other previous cases in Beni on the reports. The 3 victims had attended the Horizon Healthcare Centre in Beni city.
The World Health Organization says that it has put Ebola vaccination stations in the city. The outbreak in 2018 has so far taken over 2200 lives and over 3300 confirmed cases are on records. Last Friday, there was a victim who died of Ebola in Beni. The patient was a 26-year-old electrician.
There are questions on the origin of the disease since the patient had neither contact with another victim nor has any history of the virus. Reports say that the DRC has buried the victim’s body properly.
Alphonsin Kahindo, the patient’s mother, tells her child had no suspicions of the disease yet. She tells her child had pains on the chest and there were no indications of blood or vomiting. According to her, the child was okay, but she did not notice that her child was in the asymptomatic stage of EVD.
Steve Ahoka’s, the Public Health Officer, Views.
He says, “We were going to announce the end of Ebola on Monday but it is normal, it may occur. That is why we have put a 42-day window, two times the incubation period, to ensure they do not miss any transmission chain.”
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