In its initial stages, Ebola can be misinterpreted as other less lethal illnesses. Individuals may exhibit symptoms like high fever and muscle aches similar to severe flu, and the extreme exhaustion and weakness associated with Ebola can be confused with malaria at times.
As the viral load escalates, the disease can lead to vomiting, severe stomach cramps, and the characteristic uncontrolled bleeding of Ebola. Since its emergence in 1976, at least 40 outbreaks have been recorded after the virus presumably crossed over from Congo’s bat population.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has officially declared the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a global health emergency. The outbreak has resulted in 246 suspected cases and 80 confirmed deaths so far.
According to WHO, the virus has spread beyond the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo, with two confirmed cases reported in neighboring Uganda. One fatality from the disease has been reported in Uganda.
Dr. Kent Brantly, an American physician, contracted Ebola while treating patients in Liberia. He described the harrowing experience of the disease, emphasizing its excruciating pain and suffering for patients. Dr. Brantly highlighted the stringent protective measures healthcare workers must take due to Ebola’s high contagiousness, which includes wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times.
Around 50% of Ebola patients do not survive, often succumbing to shock from fluid loss within 6 to 16 days of symptom onset. The disease is primarily transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids such as blood, feces, and vomit. Even after recovery, Ebola survivors can remain infectious through bodily fluids like semen and breast milk for several months, and corpses can also retain infectivity post-death.
Symptoms typically manifest within three weeks of exposure, starting with influenza-like signs such as fatigue, fever, muscle pains, headache, and sore throat. A reddish skin rash with small bumps may also appear in about half of cases. The current Ebola strain lacks a known vaccine, and challenges in disease containment persist due to ongoing military conflicts in affected regions.
Outbreaks of diseases originating from wildlife can be exacerbated in areas undergoing deforestation, leading to increased human-wildlife interactions. Since its first identification in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ebola has been found in animals globally, including instances in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Italy where pigs were infected. The World Health Organisation designated the Congo Ebola outbreak as a global health emergency in July 2019.