Ebola Virus Disease: What Is It? And What Are Its Signs and Symptoms?

The Ebola virus was discovered in the Mubende district in late September of 2022, and Uganda is currently witnessing its worst ebola outbreak in more than ten years. The deadly disease has devastated many families and it almost seems impossible to stop its spread.

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is one of the deadliest viruses wreaking havoc in some regions of the world. It mostly affects humans and nonhuman primates, which includes monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees.

It occasionally breaks out in the African continent and is brought on by an infection with a family of viruses belonging to the genus Ebolavirus.

In what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Ebola virus was initially found in 1976 close to the Ebola River. Since then, the virus has occasionally infected people, causing outbreaks in numerous African nations. 

Scientists are unsure where the Ebola virus comes from. The virus first infects humans through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, and tissues of infected animals. Then, the Ebola virus spreads to new victims when they come into contact with the bodily fluids of an EVD patient or victim.

With such a deadly disease at large, it is important to know what are the signs and symptoms of the Ebola Virus Disease. 

Signs and Symptoms of Ebola Virus Disease

Here are the signs and symptoms of EVD:

• Fever
• Aches and pains, including excruciating headaches and painful muscles and joints
• Fatigue and weakness
• Unwell throat
• Reduced appetite
• Gastrointestinal signs such as nausea, vomiting, and cramping
• Unexpected bleeding, bruising, or hemorrhaging

The above are the primary symptoms of the disease. An infected can have some or all of the above-mentioned symptoms. 

Some additional signs and symptoms of infection include hiccups, rashes, and red eyes.

With an average of 8 to 10 days, symptoms can start to show up anywhere from 2 and 21 days following virus contact. The sickness usually starts off with "dry" symptoms like fever, aches, pains, and weariness before progressing to "wet" symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting as the patient gets sicker.

Note: The above information has been taken from the official website of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.