With the recent outbreak of Ebola, people around the world are understandably scared of this virus that has already taken way too many lives. Like something from a graphic horror film, Ebola causes damage to your organs at the same time that it takes away your body’s ability for your blood to clot. This creates uncontrolled bleeding both inside and outside your body, which is ultimately why an estimated 90 percent of the people affected with this disease eventually succumb to death.
Before we get into the symptoms of Ebola, it is important that you know that health experts stress that the only way you can get it is by skin or bodily fluid contact with a person or animal that has it and is showing symptoms. If the other person has Ebola and isn’t exhibiting symptoms (which generally appear between two and twenty-one days), they state that you cannot contract it.
So, what are these symptoms? According to WebMD, they include:
- High fever and throat soreness
- Headache, joint, and muscle aches
- Stomach pain
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness or fatigue
Because these symptoms mimic the ones you normally get with the flu, the only way to determine if it is Ebola is through blood testing or by testing certain tissues. If Ebola is confirmed, the person needs to be immediately quarantined to prevent the disease from spreading.
The best way to avoid Ebola is to stay away from the areas that are having issues with it. Additionally, if you must have contact with an infected person, such as healthcare workers must, then wear protective gear to avoid skin-to-skin contact or contact with any of their bodily fluids.
Ebola is a deadly virus that has no vaccine and no cure. Although there are experimental treatment remedies that offer hope, it is too soon to tell.
What are your thoughts of this nasty virus?
