Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)


Thought I'd create a central discussion thread for everyone to keep up with the outbreak.

• Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
• Fatality rate can reach 90%
• Incubation period is two to 21 days
• There is no vaccine or cure
• Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery
• Fruit bats are considered to be virus' natural host

Does Ebola really make people bleed from their eyes?

Yes. Bleeding from orifices is one of the more unusual and memorable symptoms of viral hemorrhagic fevers like Ebola. In later stages of the disease, some people bleed from the eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and rectum. They may also bleed from puncture sites if they've had an IV.

External bleeding can be one of the main symptoms that can help people realize they're dealing with a case of Ebola, since other signs — first fevers and headache, then vomiting and diarrhea — can be caused by any number of illnesses. Internal bleeding can happen, as well.

But it doesn't always happen. For example, this study of a 1995 outbreak in found external bleeding in 41 percent of cases. And bleeding didn't correlate with who survived and who didn't.

What actually kills people is shock from multiple organ failure, including problems with the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.

Symptoms come on abruptly after an incubation period of 2 to 21 days. And people generally die between day 6 and 16 of the illness.

• 672 people dead in 3 countries
• Virus potentially spread to Hong Kong, nearly reached USA
• Deadliest Ebola outbreak in history
• Liberia's borders are now closed, all football matches have been suspended

Will update the OP from day-to-day with the updates, outbreaks and spread of the virus. Stay safe!

Originally posted by BadMonster Global Epidemic = Pandemic + that's exaggerated, it's still only 4 African countries as of now, so update the OP, people have died in 4 countries already

Originally posted by rbautz For a Pandemic, Ebola is way to deadly, good for us, bad for the infected people.

Originally posted by Ke$hamon Sorry my english isn't the best. What does ''countries with patients tested for ebola'' mean? That there were patients with ebola that were tested or that people without the virus were tested?

Originally posted by BadMonster Global Epidemic = Pandemic + that's exaggerated, it's still only 4 African countries as of now, so update the OP, people have died in 4 countries already

Originally posted by Miichael It has reached the UK A man in Birmingham has it.

Originally posted by jinzo Source?

Fortunately the man was given the all-clear after tests, the Daily Mail reports, but the scare has sharpened focus on the possible spread of the virus to Britain.

Originally posted by Miichael It has reached the UK A man in Birmingham has it.

A man has already been tested for the virus in the UK after returning from Nigeria via Paris with possible symptoms. He was tested at a hospital in Birmingham but was given the all-clear.

Originally posted by BadMonster If it's not a pandemic, then it's not a global epidemic cuz that is exactly the same thing, I was just pointing him to the fact there's a word for global epidemic.. And not a single disease is to deadly to become a pandemic. Look up the definition of a pandemic. The black plague was a pandemic as well.

Originally posted by rbautz I agree on the first term but Ebola runs out of victims with this speed of the disease. The desease of the plack plaque had about a 3 times longer course of the disease, if I'm not mistaken.

Originally posted by BadMonster Global Epidemic = Pandemic + that's exaggerated, it's still only 4 African countries as of now, so update the OP, people have died in 4 countries already

Originally posted by Euphoric You have no idea how scary this is.... if this thing spreads... there is only 10% chance you'll survive there is no cure as well, which make it more deadly. 90% chance that you will die and the 10%, well if your immune system is strong enough to fight the virus you're one lucky person! 4 countries is alot for this kind of virus! Lets just hope it won't spread!