Ebola: What You Need to Know

Illustration by VOXSTA Art Staffer Khalil Williams

 

 

The Ebola epidemic is the largest in the history, affeting multiple countries in west Africa. Althoughthe risk of an Ebola outbreak in the U.S is very low, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and partners are taking precautions to prevent this from happening. Even with such precautions, however, a nurse in Dallas contracted Ebola last week from a patient from Liberia she was treating. We at VOXSTA thought we should inform you of the signs and symptoms of Ebola to fight against some of the rumors.

 

The signs and symptons can show anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to Ebola, although the average is to 8 to 10 days. They include:

• Fever (greater then 101.5F)
• Severe headache
• Muscle Pain
• Weakness
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal (stomach) pain
• Unexplained hemorrhage (bleeding or bruising)

Even though Ebola is highly contageous, you cannot get it through the air, like a cold.  It is transmittable only through direct contact with an infected person's body fluids into an open membrane (such as a cut, or the eyes, nose, or mouth).

Recovery from Ebola depends on good medical care and the patient's immune response. People who recover from Ebola infection devolop antibodies that last at least ten years.

Again, it is unlikely that an Ebola outbreak will happen in Cleveland...but if it does, at least you'll know what to look for.