It is no longer a news that Ebola Virus has infected thousands of residents of some West African countries. Till date, over 1300 individuals have lost their lives to the epidemic in the past few months. The 2014 outbreak has been described as the most devastating in the history of Ebola outbreak. By implication, many people have become fearful not knowing who has touched what or how they can exercise more care so they do not become the next victim.
Ebola is deadly, true. But this is not the time to exercise fear to the point of blinding ourselves to measures that are necessary to prevent further spread of the disease. This article takes a look at some of the way through which one can become infected by the disease.
Primarily, Ebola can come from two sources: Animal and Man.
Animal Sources
Fruit Bats and Co.
The scientific name for this animal is Pteropodidae. It has been pointed as the number one culprit for hosting the virus.
Other bush animals such as chimpanzee, cane rat a.k.a grass-cutter, porcupine, and gorilla pose a great risk to humans coming in contact with their body fluid.
Other bush animals such as chimpanzee, cane rat a.k.a grass-cutter, porcupine, and gorilla pose a great risk to humans coming in contact with their body fluid.
Although some claim that the people of Africa have been eating these animals for centuries without being infected with Ebola. It is time we pend all forms of bush meat consumption for the sake of our health and our lives.
The person preparing bush animals for consumption is at a risk of being infected as the blood and other fluids stain him or her.
Human Sources
Infected Person
The primary source of Ebola for human is the infected person. He poses a great risk and danger to others when his close associates come in contact with him. Even when the person seem not to be aware of the disease he can still infect others who come in contact with bodily fluid from him.
Medical Persons
Medical Persons who take care of infected person have a great risk of catching the disease. Such ones cannot be too careful as they take blood samples in order to diagnose the person. Even when they are not working on blood samples, they need to be wary of other bodily fluid that might come from the infected person. The sweat, the bubbles from his sneezes and cough could infect another person with Ebola if it touches a non-infected person.
For example, the medical practitioners who took care of the late Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, who died of EVD became infected because they were not aware of the real state of the patient such that they would have taken the needed precaution. Sadly, one of the nurses died on August 6, 2014. Others are still being quarantined, but we do not know how long they will be able to bear the pangs of the disease before they eventually give up.
If you are a medical practitioner and there are patients complaining of fever, please maintain a level of distance as you try to diagnose the illness. Even if others may be laughing at you, wear a protective gear before moving close to any that you have suspected. If such protective suits are not available in your locality, wear any material made of rubber, wear rubber gloves that will get to your elbow, wear a form of nose covering that will sieve the air you breathe to a level.
Medical Equipment
Some medical equipment are disposable while there are others that need to be re-used. The medical persons in the hospital need to exercise extreme care so they do not become infected as they pack such equipment. The patient bed and bed spread should be properly cleaned and rid of deadly body fluid from someone they suspect.
Chemicals used in sterilizing such materials should always be handy. In the absence of such, proper washing with detergent and or heating will suffice. Whoever is doing the washing should be careful so that infected fluid will not touch him.
Family and Friends
If you stay in an area that is prone to the disease or you know someone who has been infected, you need to be very careful so that you do not continue to spread the disease. While there may nothing wrong in showing care and love to your dying friend or relative, you does not show love to yourself if you end up being infected because of carelessness.
As such, try and report cases that you might suspect to the authorities as soon as you can. Take preventive measures by not sharing utensils with others especially when it has not been washed. Do not engage in hogging until the government has declared your area free of the disease. If someone close to you is sweating for whatever reason, you may need to keep your distance till the person has dried his sweat. Inform your family members of the need to avoid going too close to others that it might be difficult for them to prevent fluid when they sneeze, cough or yawn.
Remember, this is a matter of life and death. You cannot be too careful as you protect yourself and your loved ones.
Sexual Relations
In this sex-crazed world, it may be an easy thing to spread the Ebola Virus through sexual intercourse. Kissing, coitus, semen, and sweat can make it easy to transmit a disease from one person to the other. Mr sexual urge, this is the time you need to exercise a lot of self control. Do not patronize sex workers for now. The fact they meet with several men in one night should be enough to repulse you, fear for your life and stay away.
Even if you have a girlfriend and you feel that safe sex is oral sex. It is a mistake. Her saliva touches you or your semen touches her, the disease can be automatically transmitted if either of you have it. No one will tell you not to have sex, but be very careful and be sure of what you are doing.
Public, Crowded Places
For now, it is not advisable to go to places that are overly crowded. Avoid places such as cramped marketplace and overloaded buses. It is better for you leave your home early enough and engage in your transactions while the crowd is not much.
Lets Be Hopeful
There is no established cure for Ebola. Although the US government has designed a serum, it has not been fully circulated. While those given the serum have shown a level of improvement, more is still needed. For one, it is not in wide circulation and secondly, it is expensive.
In the meantime, it is cheaper and better to take preventive measures. No measure is too much to prevent yourself and your loved ones from being infected with this deadly disease. Life is the most precious possession you have, take care of your self.
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