As the deadly Ebola virus continues to spread , panic among the general population has reached fever pitch. Some countries have closed borders, others have grounded flights, sales of hand sanitizer and rubber gloves have soared as governments and the public struggle to contain the worst ever Ebola epidemic in West Africa.
It’s more important now than ever to distinguish fact, from fiction. Here are some facts you may not know about Ebola and its transmission:
* The virus can ony be spread when people come into contact with the bodily fluids of infected people or those that handle the bodies of those who have died from the disease. Certain burial practices involve touching the corpse of the deceased which can lead to infection.-
*Ebola can only be transmitted by people that are showing symptoms, those who have it but have not gotten sick cannot pass it on to others.-
*A person can have the Ebola virus without showing symptoms for 2-21 days, the average time for a victim to start displaying symptoms is between 5 to 8 days.
* Those most at risk from contracted the virus are:
health workers
family members in close contact with infected persons
mourners with direct contact with a corpse as part of burial customs
* Although strains of the virus have the ability to be spread through the air, this kind of spread has never been documented.
* The virus cannot be transmitted through casual contact with people who do not seem sick
* Mosquitoes cannot transmit the virus
It’s important for us to be on our guard but not to create mass panic and hysteria, so continue to listen out for updates from WHO and the government on how to safeguard yourself.
For more information see the CDC Fact Sheet