Since the Ministry of Health, Uganda declared an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV) on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, a total of 142 confirmed cases, 55 confirmed deaths have been recorded with Case Fatality Rate (CFR) standing at 39% while 871 recoveries have also been documented.
Unfortunately, 26 healthcare workers in the Eastern Africa region have accounted for (19) 13% of the cases and (7) 13% of all deaths, while there are 22 probable deaths in total.
Public Health Worth presents five quick facts to know about the Sudan Ebola Virus.
1. Transmission
Ebola is a highly contagious disease, but the mode of transmission is via bodily fluids: blood, saliva, breast milk, semen, faeces and urine.
2. Not contagious during incubation
Signs and symptoms can occur suddenly with these clinical manifestations: fever, bleeding, muscle pain, fatigue, diarrhoea and vomiting. These signs and symptoms occur after the incubation period of 2 to 21 days. During the incubation period (the time after infection and before symptoms appear), the disease is not contagious.
3. High fatality rate
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), outbreaks of cases can rank up to 90%. Case Fatality Rate is the rate of cases of disease, events, or conditions that are fatal within a specific period of time. It is measured proportionally in percentage.
4. Not an airborne disease
As it is known that the mode of transmission is primarily through bodily fluids, Ebola is not an airborne disease; it can not be transmitted through air, water, or even food.
5. Treatment
After experimental drugs like ZMapp were genetically manufactured from tobacco plants for the treatment of Ebola, Inmazeb™, a combination of three monoclonal antibodies was approved in October, 2020.
