With the severe panic which has gripped Jos-Plateau about the deadly Ebola Virus pandemic, ViewPointNigeria feels compelled to provide some nuggects which will help people identify incidence of the disease and quickly take preventative actions. This has become necessary because very little guidance has been provided by the Ministry of Health in respect of the possible outbreak of the disease in Plateau and whether any remedial actions have been implemented by the Government.

With the severe panic which has gripped Jos-Plateau about the deadly Ebola Virus pandemic, ViewPointNigeria feels compelled to provide some guidance which will help people identify incidents of the disease and quickly take preventative actions.

ViewPointNigeria has decided to take this approach, because very little guidance has been provided by the Ministry of Health in Plateau State, about the possible outbreak of the disease and how people can safegaurd themselves against the outbreak. 

Signs and symptoms typically begin abruptly within five to 10 days of infection with Ebola or Marburg virus. Early signs and symptoms include :

(1) Fever

(2) Severe headache

(3) Joint and muscle aches

(4) Chills

(5) Weakness

Over time, symptoms become increasingly severe and may include :

(6) Nausea and vomiting 

(7) Diarrhea (may be bloody) 

(8) Red eyes

(9) Raised rash

(10) Chest pain and cough

(11) Stomach pain

(12) Severe weight loss

(13) Bleeding, usually from the eyes, and bruising (people near death may bleed from other orifices, such as ears, nose and rectum)

(14) Internal bleeding

Simple methods of prevention

(1) Ebola viruses are contagious, with prevention predominantly involving behavior changes, proper full-body personal protective equipment, and disinfection. Techniques to avoid infection involve not contacting infected blood or secretions, including from those who are dead. A simple method would be to avoid public places where there are too many people.

(2)  Quarantine, also known as enforced isolation, is usually effective in decreasing spread. Where a loved one has contacted the disease, they should be isolated completely from the rest of the family with contact only made when there is Full Personal Protective Equipment in place.

(3) No vaccine is currently available for humans. So the two above methods outlined for prevention must be adhered to very seriously.

ViewPointNigeria’s Health Consultant/Specialist

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Ebola Virus: How to diagnose symptoms and prevent infection