As Lagos records the first case of Ebola incidence, it has
become pertinent to arouse public interest and educate people on the need for
prevention as treatment and cure of the disease is not too clear to medical
science as at 2014.
The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) or Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever
(EHF) first appeared during two 1976 outbreaks in Africa.
Ebola gets its name from the Ebola River, which is near one
of the villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo where the disease first
appeared.
Usually an outbreak starts when someone comes into contact
with the body fluids or waste of infected animals, such as monkeys, chimps, or
fruit bats. Once a person is infected, he or she can then spread it to others.
There are five different types of Ebola virus that cause the
disease. Four of them are known to cause the disease in humans.
The American Centre for Disease Control states that “the
prevention of Ebola HF presents many challenges. Because it is still unknown
how exactly people are infected with Ebola HF, there are few established
primary prevention measures”.
The effect of an Ebola outbreak can be devastating. There is
no Ebola cure, and once a person develops an Ebola virus infection, the chance
of death can be as high as 90 percent because there is no Ebola vaccine that is
currently licensed.
Health care workers are mostly at risk as symptoms resemble
fever common in the tropics. It is important for health care workers to be able
to recognize a case of Ebola infection and act promptly in applying isolation
precautions or barrier nursing techniques.
The following are symptoms of the infection which everyone
must look out for:
i) Fever with severe headaches
ii) Sore throat
iii)Weakness
iv) Vomiting
v) Dehydration
vi) Dry, hacking cough
vii) Stomach pain
viii)Joint and muscle aches
ix) Diarrhea
A rash, red eyes, hiccups, and internal and external bleeding
may be seen in some patients. When the rash develops on dark skin, it is often
not recognized until the rash begins to peel.
These steps are important for all, kindly read and share. Our
safety is to reduce the number of casualties because of the nature of spread of
this deadly disease.
A) Dietetic Advice
Generally, healthy eating will increase your chances
of escaping an epidemic.
i) These
are seasons to boost your immune system. People with compromised immunity are
usually first casualties in epidemic situations.
ii) Sugar
compromises your immunity. Use other alternatives moderately. The alternatives
include dates, honey and excludes sweeteners or aspartame.
iii) Avoid
eating junk food, fast food or fried food but consume super rich foods and
foods high in nutrients.
iv) Drink
enough water daily.
v) Cruciferous
vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, Brussel sprouts are good
for detoxifying. Juicing them makes consumption better.
vi) Take
good anti-oxidants such Vitamins A, C, and E. These minerals may not be gotten
from our food intake in sufficient amount so the use of supplements for the
following will be helpful; selenium, manganese, copper and zinc.
vii) Exercise
regularly
viii) Rest
and have enough sleep as your immunity is compromised under stressful
conditions.
B) Precaution
Take the following precautions and encourage friends,
colleagues and family to do same. Prevention involves avoiding direct contact
with the body fluid of infected people whom you may not know are already
infected.
i) Just like flu, Ebola is a viral infection that can be
contracted through contact. Be very careful with your hands. Rails, public door
handles, handshake, etc. should be engaged with caution.
ii) Please wash your hands and disinfect if necessary.
iii)When in a public place, avoid the crowded areas as the
virus spreads thru sneezing and coughs
iv) It is time to stay away from wandering birds and faecal
materials of animals like pigs, monkeys and especially the fruit bat which
carries the virus but not infected by it.
v) It is also the time to stay away from bush meat as you
wouldn’t know if the animal was infected before it was slaughtered. Bats drop
partially eaten fruits and pulp, then terrestrial mammals such as gorillas and
duikers feed on these fallen fruits. This chain of events forms a possible
indirect means of transmission from the natural host to animal populations.
vi) If you have any course to visit the hospital at this
period, please insist that needles and everything to be used on you are
sterilized which is standard procedure. Needles should not be re-used for any
reason
C) Management
of ill people on aircraft if Ebola virus is suspected
The American Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) places this advice for airline operators. It may also help you to know
what to expect when travelling on an aircraft with an infected passenger.
Insist on compliance please.
Crew members on a flight with a passenger of other crew member who is ill with fever, jaundice or bleeding and who is travelling from or has recently been in a risk area should follow these precautions:
i) Keep the sick person separated from others as much as possible.
ii) Provide the sick person with a surgical mask (if the passenger can tolerate wearing one
to reduce the number of droplets expelled into the air by talking, sneezing, or coughing.
iii) Tissues can be given to those who cannot tolerate a
mask.
iv) Personnel should wear impermeable disposable gloves
for direct contact with blood or
other body fluids.
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