News:Democratic Republic of Congo has declared a new Ebola epidemic in the western city of Mbandaka.
Facts:
- Ebola virus disease(EVD) formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever is a severe often fatal illness in humans.
- Origin: Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Transmission: It is transmitted to people from wild animals and then spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission.
- Symptoms: Sudden fever, intense weakness, muscle pain and a sore throat.It progresses to vomiting, diarrhoea and both internal and external bleeding.
- Treatment: There is no proven treatment for Ebola but interventions early on includes rehydration with fluids and body salts and treatment of specific symptoms such as low blood pressure, vomiting, diarrhea and infections.
- Vaccine: An investigational vaccine called rVSV-ZEBOV has shown to be safe and protective against the Ebola virus.
