Ebola is a rare and deadly disease caused by infection with ebola virus strains, primarily transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids. The outbreak began in Guinea in December 2013 and spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone, with sporadic cases in other countries. There is currently no cure for Ebola, but experimental treatments are being researched, and prevention involves avoiding contact with infected individuals and adhering to strict hygiene practices.

1. Ebola Outbreak Factsheet
What you need to know about the Ebola
Virus Disease

2. Is Ebola Real or just a Media
Hoax?

3. What is the Ebola Virus?
Ebola, previously known as Ebola haemorrhagic
fever, is a rare and deadly disease caused by
infection with one of the Ebola virus strains. Ebola
can cause disease in humans and nonhuman
primates (monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees).

4. Ebola Cont.
Ebola is caused by infection with a virus of the
family Filoviridae, genus Ebolavirus. There are
five identified Ebola virus species, four of which are
known to cause disease in humans:
 Ebola virus (Zaire ebolavirus);
 Sudan virus (Sudan ebolavirus);
 Taï Forest virus (Taï Forest ebolavirus, formerly
Côte d’Ivoire ebolavirus); and
 Bundibugyo virus (Bundibugyo ebolavirus).
 The fifth, Reston virus (Reston ebolavirus), has
caused disease in nonhuman primates, but not in
humans.

5. Ebola History
Ebola was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola
River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the
Congo. Since then, outbreaks have appeared
sporadically in Africa (more specifically West-Africa)

6. What of the Ebola Outbreak
2014?
An epidemic of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is
ongoing in certain West African countries.
It began in Guinea in December 2013 and spread
to Liberia and Sierra Leone then to other countries
as follows;

7. Major Countries with Ebola Transmission (in 2014)
 Guinea
 Liberia
 Sierra Leone
Countries with limited local transmission (in 2014)
 Spain
 United States
Countries with contained spread ( in 2014)
 Senegal
 Nigeria

9. How Do You Get Ebola?
 Human -to - human transmission, primarily
through direct or indirect contact with bodily fluids
such as blood, urine, and saliva
 Contact with contaminated objects such as
needles or soiled bedding or clothing
 The Virus is not airborne like flu

11. What are the Symptoms?
 Sudden onset of fever, weakness, muscle pain,
headache, sore throat followed by vomiting,
diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney, and liver
function.
 In some cases, there is internal bleeding and
external bleeding

13. How Long Before Symptoms
Show?
Anywhere between two (2) to
twenty one (21) days, though eight
(8) to ten (10) days is most
common.

14. Noticeable Symptoms

15. What Diseases Should Be Ruled Out
First?
 Malaria
Typhoid fever
 Shigellosis
 Cholera
 Leptospirosis
 Rickettsiosis
 Relapsing fever
 Meningitis
Hepatitis and
other viral
haemorrhagic
fevers

16. How Can You Protect Yourself?
 Avoid direct contact with bodily fluids, someone
suffering from Ebola or a deceased person
 Wash your hands with soap and water or an
alcohol based hand sanitizer when in risk of such
contact
 Wear gloves, a mask and a long protective gown
if coming within about 3 feet of an infected patient
 Anyone suspected of contracting the virus should
be isolated and public health officials notified

18. How is it Treated?
 Balancing the patient's fluids and electrolytes
 Maintaining patient's oxygen status and blood
pressure
 Treating him or her for any complicating infection

19. Is there an Ebola cure?
There is currently No Cure for Ebola however, there
are a number of experimental drugs that are being
considered for use in this context such as;
 ZMapp which is a combination of monoclonal
antibodies
 TKM-Ebola an RNA interference drug
 Favipivir a drug approved in Japan for stockpiling
against influenza pandemics
 BCX4430 is a broad-spectrum antiviral drug
developed by BioCryst Pharmaceuticals and currently
being researched as a potential treatment for Ebola
by USAMRIID.
 Brincidofovir, another broad-spectrum antiviral drug
 JK-05, a small molecule drug among others

21. Do You Believe
the Media
Stories about
Ebola?