There is no doubt that the Ebola outbreak has created a lot of fear all over the world. The main driving force behind this fear is the fact the virus spreads very first and seems unstoppable once it starts taking down a population. Is there any way to protect ourselves against the disease? Unfortunately, there is no vaccine that has been approved as yet. The only proven way of Ebola protection is to avoid getting into contact with the virus.
Personal protective equipment should be worn by persons handling infected materials. The virus is transmitted in fluids such as saliva, blood, sweat or vomit. It is important that we stay as far away from these fluids as possible. The personal protective equipment is a fully body suit that comprises a gown, face mask, medical gloves and protective eye wear. Ensure that you put on two pairs of gloves especially when handling infected sharp objects.
Washing hands regularly helps to reduce the risk of transmission. Soap and water are often sufficient. If you have trouble getting water, you may use an alcohol based hand sanitizer as an alternative. Items that have been used by an infected person are likely to be contaminated and should not be reused, any rooms that have been used by infected persons should be hosed down before reuse.
If you have items that need to be re-used then proper disinfection and sterilization are necessary. Chlorine bleach is effective for needles and other sharps. The sharps should be soaked for at least thirty seconds in the bleach. Bleach solution is also effective in cleaning surfaces and equipment. The process should be repeated at least twice. Heat resilient items can be sterilized by boiling for about twenty minutes.
When a person dies from Ebola, the virus does not die with them. As a matter of fact, this is the time during which the virus numbers are highest and transmission is most likely to take place. There should be no direct contact with the body under any circumstances. You need to inform you local public health officials who will make arrangements to dispose of it.
Apart from human beings, the virus has been shown to also infect bats and non-human primates. Scientists strongly believe that the first case of this illness originated from these hosts. Body fluids from these hosts should also be avoided. Meat derived from infected animals particularly if raw is highly infective and should never be consumed.
If you have traveled to an endemic area recently, you need to conduct self monitoring as you look out for symptoms suggestive of the disease. A fever is almost always present in people that have been infected. It may or may not be associated with other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, muscle pains or a headache. It is important that you go to the hospital as soon as possible if you experience these symptoms.
To control the Ebola outbreak, there is a need to have a well coordinated surveillance system that helps in early disease detection and prompt intervention. This is the only way that will help interrupt disease transmission. Persons with confirmed disease should be isolated for treatment. Only properly trained medical personnel should attend to them.
Personal protective equipment should be worn by persons handling infected materials. The virus is transmitted in fluids such as saliva, blood, sweat or vomit. It is important that we stay as far away from these fluids as possible. The personal protective equipment is a fully body suit that comprises a gown, face mask, medical gloves and protective eye wear. Ensure that you put on two pairs of gloves especially when handling infected sharp objects.
Washing hands regularly helps to reduce the risk of transmission. Soap and water are often sufficient. If you have trouble getting water, you may use an alcohol based hand sanitizer as an alternative. Items that have been used by an infected person are likely to be contaminated and should not be reused, any rooms that have been used by infected persons should be hosed down before reuse.
If you have items that need to be re-used then proper disinfection and sterilization are necessary. Chlorine bleach is effective for needles and other sharps. The sharps should be soaked for at least thirty seconds in the bleach. Bleach solution is also effective in cleaning surfaces and equipment. The process should be repeated at least twice. Heat resilient items can be sterilized by boiling for about twenty minutes.
When a person dies from Ebola, the virus does not die with them. As a matter of fact, this is the time during which the virus numbers are highest and transmission is most likely to take place. There should be no direct contact with the body under any circumstances. You need to inform you local public health officials who will make arrangements to dispose of it.
Apart from human beings, the virus has been shown to also infect bats and non-human primates. Scientists strongly believe that the first case of this illness originated from these hosts. Body fluids from these hosts should also be avoided. Meat derived from infected animals particularly if raw is highly infective and should never be consumed.
If you have traveled to an endemic area recently, you need to conduct self monitoring as you look out for symptoms suggestive of the disease. A fever is almost always present in people that have been infected. It may or may not be associated with other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, muscle pains or a headache. It is important that you go to the hospital as soon as possible if you experience these symptoms.
To control the Ebola outbreak, there is a need to have a well coordinated surveillance system that helps in early disease detection and prompt intervention. This is the only way that will help interrupt disease transmission. Persons with confirmed disease should be isolated for treatment. Only properly trained medical personnel should attend to them.
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