A person can incubate the virus without symptoms for 2-21 days, the average being 5-8 days before becoming ill. They are contagious until they are acutely ill. Only when ill does the viral load express itself first in the blood and other bodily fluids (e.g vomit, feaces, urine,breast milk, semen and sweat). If you are walking around you are not infectious to others
August 10, 2014 -The United States of American has said that it is out of place for countries in West Africa to close borders, schools, restrict flight as a result of Ebola Virus Disease(EVD) which is currently ravaging the region.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said 932 people have died of the disease in West African since February, 2014 when it was first reported in the region.
But in a diplomatic alert, the US said it has consulted with a team of experts who have said it is impossible to contract Ebola by handling money or swimming in a pool.
“There’s no medical reason to stop flights, close borders, restrict travel or close embassies, businesses or schools”, it said in the alert and called on resident of affected countries to always practice good hand washing techniques.
“You will not contract Ebola if you do not touch a dying person. Don’t Panic, Educate Yourself, Educate Others”, the US said in the alert, buttressing it with findings in Democratic Republic of Congo.
“There are documented cases from Kikwit, DRC of an Ebola outbreak in a village that had the custom of children never touching an ill adult. Children living for days in one room huts with parents who died from Ebola did not become infected”, it said in the diplomatic alert.
According to the alert, the suspected reservoirs for Ebola are fruit bats, adding that transmission to humans is thought to originate from infected bats or primates that have become infected by bats. Undercooked infected bat and primate (bush) meat transmits the virus to humans.
“ Human to human transmission is only achieved by physical contact with a person who is acutely and gravely ill from Ebola virus or their body fluids. Transmission among humans is almost exclusively among caregiver, family members or health care workers tending to the very ill. The virus is easily killed by contact with soap, bleach, sunlight, or drying. A washing machine will kill the virus in clothing saturated with infected body fluids.
“A person can incubate the virus without symptoms for 2-21 days, the average being 5-8 days before becoming ill. They are contagious until they are acutely ill. Only when ill does the viral load express itself first in the blood and other bodily fluids (e.g vomit, feaces, urine,breast milk, semen and sweat). If you are walking around you are not infectious to others”, the US said in the alert.
