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Ebola is a severe, often fatal viral illness first identified in 1976 near the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is caused by a group of viruses called orthoebolaviruses. Different strains (like Zaire, Sudan, and Bundibugyo) have varying fatality rates, ranging from 30% to 90%. While it causes severe gastrointestinal and vascular issues, early medical intervention significantly increases a patient's chances of survival.

2. Transmission

Ebola is not airborne and cannot be caught through casual contact or breathing the same air. It spreads strictly through direct contact (via broken skin or mucous membranes) with:

• Bodily fluids: Blood, vomit, feces, saliva, and sweat of a person who is actively sick or has passed away.

• Contaminated objects: Bedding, clothing, or medical equipment soiled with infected fluids.

• Infected wildlife: Handling or eating raw or undercooked meat from natural hosts like fruit bats or primates.

Note: Individuals are only contagious after they begin showing physical symptoms.

3. Prevention

In areas experiencing an active outbreak, transmission is stopped through targeted hygiene and isolation practices:

• Rigorous Hand Hygiene: Frequent washing with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizers.

• Avoid Physical Contact: Staying away from anyone showing symptoms of the virus or objects they have touched.

• Safe Burials: Allowing trained medical teams to handle funerals, as the virus remains highly contagious after a patient dies.

• Food Safety: Avoiding wild "bushmeat" and thoroughly washing or peeling fruits before eating.

• Vaccination: Utilizing strain-specific vaccines (like Ervebo for the Zaire strain) where available to protect high-risk individuals and healthcare workers.