More than a decade ago, the city of Kikwit in DR Congo (Africa) was struck by a major Ebola outbreak that killed 200 people. A few weeks ago, about 400 km west of Kikwit, in the country’s West Kasai province, another outbreak drew attention from several NGOs and the World Health Organization.
The WHO issued an alert on 11 September urging medical teams to travel to Congo to attempt to contain the deadly virus. The Ministry of Health of Congo with the help from international doctors continue working on the ground to conduct diagnosis of suspected Ebola cases. Strict controls in hospitals and affected areas have been put in place in order to minimize the risk of infection among health care personnel and villagers. The Congolese government has also declared several villages under quarantine.
Authorities say that the current outbreak, the first major resurgence in years, might have killed at least 174 people although only seventeen of them were confirmed to have died of Ebola. In the past months, about 400 hundred people have fallen ill.
According to the WHO, Ebola is fatal in around 50-90% of the cases. There is neither a cure nor a treatment for it. The virus was first discovered in the rain forests of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) and Sudan back in 1976. Also known as a hemorrhagic fever, it is characterized by a number of symptoms that include a sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, sore throat and headache. This is often followed by vomiting, diarrhea and even both internal and external bleeding. The virus has an incubation period of 2 to 21 days and in early stages, its symptoms are very similar to those of typhoid and shigella. Several different species of Ebola have been identified.
The virus is spread by direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other body fluids of infected persons. Funerals and burial ceremonies where the grievers come in direct contact with the deceased person have been reported to play a key role in the transmission. Other documented cases include having contact with infected primates such as monkeys, chimps, gorillas and forest antelopes (both dead and alive).
In an attempt to prevent the disease from spreading across Congo, a number of measures have been put in place. Social mobilization experts are working with media and communications teams to begin the broadcasting of radio spots aimed at informing the local communities about the prevention of Ebola and about how to recognize its early symptoms. The Congolese government hopes that such communications strategies combined with the work of medical experts on the ground help to contain the outbreak.
Original Source (s):
WHO Press Release
CNN.com Article
BBC Article, 22 September 2007
BBC Article, 10 September 2007
Picture Credits:
WHO - World Health Organization
Aitana, thank you for this report. It looks as if ebola is transmitted between humans, then, although perhaps not easily. I wonder what the transmission mechanism is. Do you happen to know?
Deborah
Debbie,
As far as I know, Ebola may be transmitted from primate to primate through the air. When it comes to humans, this type of transmission mechanism has only been reported in a research setting not in hospitals or households. All Ebola species have, nevertheless, shown that they can spread through airborne particles.