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In what is said to be the worst outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in history, Over 3000 people in Africa have died; including a top doctor in the field and several healthcare workers. Carriers of the virus can remain asymptomatic for 21 days and often by the time symptoms do manifest, the disease is full blown.
The first carrier of Ebola was diagnosed in the US on September 30. The patient is said to be in serious but stable condition in a Dallas hospital. The man, who recently traveled from Nigeria, became ill shortly after his arrival to the US.
Symptoms of Ebola include fever, diarrhea, headache, nausea, rash and bleeding from the mouth, eyes and rectum. Early detection can be the key to survival. Early Signs include rash and fever. Re-hydration therapy and intravenous fluids are the only treatments available.
Bats are a popular food source in Africa and are also the primary carriers of the disease. Many healthcare providers, including Doctors Without Borders are working quickly to contain the it.
As of yet, there is no cure for the Ebola Virus, although research is underway to find a vaccine. Ebola has re-surfaced periodically through the years and carries a 50 to 90 percent fatality rate. Males that survive the illness may be able to transmit it sexually for nearly two months.
The good news is that Ebola can only be spread through contact with bodily fluids of those that are infected.
Until recently, fewer than 1,000 people a year have been infected. The cities with the largest Ebola cases are Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The disease was first identified in the Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
