Ebola – The New Battle

                                                         WHAT IS EBOLA ?

Ebola, a deadly disease, caused by Ebola virus has created headlines all over the world in the recent weeks. Started off from the continent of Africa, ( specifically in West Africa) it has spread in various parts of the world. Even though the virus is not very common in continents other than Africa, the rates at which Ebola is spreading in other parts of the world is alarming. Like many other deadly diseases like AIDS and Cancer, Ebola leads to death in victims. Transmission, symptoms and preventions are three  main aspects to get knowledge about a disease.

 

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Transmission

To know about Ebola, it is important to analyze how the disease is being transmitted to one person to another. The main cause of transmission are body fluids (including blood) and objects such as needles which are used on an infected individuals to another person.

 

 

Symptoms 

Ebola symptoms consist of variety of health conditions such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, fatigue and headache. According to www.cdc.gov, these symptoms are visible in a person after 2-21 days (on average 8-10 days) after being exposed to the virus.

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Prevention 

Safety and preventive measures are the most important aspects of fighting a disease. Not only following them, but also educating others around you is an important part of fighting a disease. Several ways to prevent this deadly disease are –

a) Avoid visiting areas where the virus has been spread widely, for example several countries in West Africa. It is important for people traveling to these countries to get full knowledge about the virus to keep themselves safe from it.

b) Avoid contact with infected people. As one of the key reasons for Ebola to spread is through body fluids, it is highly recommended that people should not come in physical contact of the infected individuals.

c) Wash hands frequently. If you are located in an area known be infected by the virus, it is recommended to wash your hands frequently and effectively.

 

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Ebola in the USA

Even though Ebola is a disease limited to mostly West Africa, two patients have been diagnosed of Ebola in the USA till now, resulting to death in one case. Even though this disease is not very common in the USA, special steps and precautions are being taken by the US government at places like airports to prevent the virus spreading into the country. A disease like Ebola cannot be taken lightly and organizations and governments from around the world are working together to fight this deadly disease.

 

Image source

1)www.unicef.org

2)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebola_virus_disease#mediaviewer/File:Symptoms_of_ebola.png

3)http://www.brennerbrief.com/ebola-hits-dfw-symptoms-prevention-tips-highlighted/

 

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