- Ebola virus disease is a serious, rare infection predominantly found in certain parts of Africa.
- The current outbreak in Congo and Uganda, which has led to over 160 deaths out of 670 suspected cases, is being caused by a rarer strain of Ebola called Bundibugyo virus disease, which to date does not have a specific vaccine or treatments.
- The virus is contracted from wild animals and spreads through direct contact with infected body fluids including blood, saliva, semen and vomit.
- It can spread from person-to-person through contact with the body fluids of an infected, sick or dead person. Ebola symptoms, such as high temperature, extreme tiredness and headache, can start between two and 21 days after being infected.
- WHO states the average Ebola disease case fatality rate is around 50% with case fatality rates varying from 25–90% in past outbreaks.
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