Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a disease of humans and other mammals caused by ebola viruses. The spread of Ebola between people occurs only by direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a person after symptoms have developed. In March 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a major Ebola outbreak in Guinea, a western African nation.The disease then rapidly spread to the neighboring countries of Liberia and Sierra Leone. It is the largest Ebola outbreak ever documented, and the first recorded in the region.

Supportive care-rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids- and treatment of specific symptoms, improves survival. There is as yet no proven treatment available for EVD.

Risk reduction messaging should focus on several factors:

1.Reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission

2. Reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission

3. Outbreak containment measures

Read More