Health
How Ebola Spreads, Symptoms, Prevention Tips, Emergency Numbers
As public health concerns regarding Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) heighten across the country following a recently confirmed case in the Federal Capital Territory, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health are urging Nigerians to maintain high standards of personal hygiene, avoid risky contact, and report suspicious symptoms promptly.
Public health experts emphasize that while Ebola is a severe and often dangerous viral illness, understanding how it spreads is key to protecting individuals, families, and communities.
How Does Ebola Spread?
Unlike common respiratory illnesses like COVID-19 or influenza, Ebola does not spread through the air. Instead, transmission requires direct contact with infected fluids or contaminated surfaces. People infected with Ebola are not considered contagious until they begin developing active symptoms.
The primary channels of transmission include:
1. Direct Contact With Human Body Fluids
The virus spreads when blood, vomit, stool, urine, saliva, or sweat from an infected person enters another person’s body through broken skin or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth). Caring for a sick individual without proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) poses a severe risk.
2. Touching Contaminated Items
Handling items contaminated with infectious body fluids, such as bedding, clothing, needles, or medical equipment can easily transmit the virus.
3. Contact With Infected Wildlife
Zoonotic transmission occurs through direct contact with infected wild animals, including fruit bats, monkeys, and non-human primates. Butchering, preparing, or consuming raw or improperly cooked bushmeat can expose handlers to the virus.
4. Unsafe Burial Practices
The body of a person who has died from Ebola remains highly infectious. Traditional burial practices that involve washing, touching, or dressing the deceased carry an extreme risk of transmission. Safe and dignified burials must be managed exclusively by trained medical teams.
Warning Symptoms Nigerians Should Watch For
Ebola symptoms typically manifest between 2 and 21 days following exposure. Because early symptoms closely resemble malaria, typhoid, and other common tropical fevers, laboratory testing is required to confirm the diagnosis.
Key warning signs include:
- Sudden high fever
- Severe headache and muscle or joint pain
- Intense weakness or unusual tiredness
- Sore throat and stomach pain
- Persistent vomiting and diarrhea
- Unexplained bleeding (in severe stages)
Important Note: Do not wait for unexplained bleeding before seeking medical evaluation. Bleeding does not occur in all patients, and early intervention significantly improves health outcomes.
6 Practical Ways to Protect Yourself and Your Family
- Practice Regular Hand Hygiene: Wash hands thoroughly with soap under clean running water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer regularly.
- Avoid Direct Contact With Body Fluids: Do not handle the blood, vomit, stool, clothing, or bedding of anyone exhibiting symptoms of an undiagnosed viral illness.
- Avoid Sick or Dead Wild Animals: Refrain from direct contact with bats and primates, and ensure all meat is cooked thoroughly before consumption.
- Avoid Touching Deceased Persons: Do not touch or wash bodies during suspected Ebola-related deaths. Allow trained health officials to arrange safe burials.
- Seek Emergency Medical Advice: If you have had potential contact with a suspected case and develop a fever within 21 days, call public health authorities immediately before traveling to a facility.
- Rely Only on Official Information: Avoid spreading unverified rumors or panic on social media. Follow official guidelines issued by the NCDC and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Emergency Contacts
If you suspect exposure or notice symptoms in someone around you, contact the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) immediately via:
Toll-Free Hotline: 6232
Official WhatsApp: +234 708 711 0839
