busThis is different from my usual articles, which are usually on mental health, for obvious reasons: it’s about a realtime problem—it’s on right now. And I wanted to provide a place where people can get basic helpful info on this issue. And after all, Ebola isn’t going to be the end of us: we can Rise Above It.
So less than 24 hours after the sad news that Sheikh Umar Khan, the 39 year-old doctor from Sierra Leona who has been leading the fight against Ebola, had himself contracted the virus, we hear that it’s right here. At home.
In Lagos. Obalende area, to be precise.
Channels TV reported a few hours ago that a 40 year-old Liberian man is being treated as a possible case of Ebola infection. The hospital where the man is on admission has been cordoned off (as part of the quarantine protocol for any case of Ebola detection). And the Lagos state government has made a press statement about it.
Should you be scared? No.
Not because Ebola isn’t serious, but because fear doesn’t work. We don’t need fear. We don’t need panic. We need to take action.
The government has already started by informing us. It’s our move now, yours and mine. Get informed. And then get the info out to everyone you care about.
Here are possible signs of Ebola you need to know about:
It typically starts with flu-like symptoms:
- general feeling of being unwell (“feeling somehow”)
- increased body temperature
- sore throat and headache
- weakness
- joint, muscle and chest pain
Basically, the person might feel like they have what most of us Nigerians usually think of as malaria symptoms.
Like I said, these are the ones it typically starts with. Others include:
- Throat infection: sore throat, hiccups, feeling like you’re out of breath.
- The nervous system can be affected: headaches, confusions fatigue, and even seizures and coma.
- Skin: rash, bleeding below the skin surface (haematomas—and when they are large, ecchymoses). (This bleeding is not a good sign, by the way.)
One more thing to note: the way Ebola spreads is by exposure to body fluids (blood, sweat, saliva, mucus, tears—and yes, semen and vaginal secretion). It is not known to spread by AIR.
I’ll repeat that:
EBOLA IS NOT KNOWN TO SPREAD BY AIR.
So relax—you don’t have to hold your breath.
What can you do to protect yourself?
I know, this is what you really want to know.
- Wash your hands. Often. With soap and water.
- Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick, and be careful with anything they have touched. If possible, don’t touch it, and if you must, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after. (And you don’t wash your hands just any way: you’ll find a link to a video on exactly how to do it at the end of this post.)
- Urge anyone you know who develops ANY sickness AT ALL (or yourself, if you’re the one) to get to a hospital FAST. For now, don’t take any sickness lightly. Remember this thing starts out looking like your regular common cold or malaria.
- Share and spread the news to everyone you know. Knowledge is power. Especially when we act on it. Use these hashtags:
#StopEbolaNaija
#FightEbola
#WashHandsPreventEbola
- Look out on Facebook and Twitter for this helpful poster (created by the talented Dr Lawal Bakare—follow him on twitter @bakarelawal), and freely share it!
Here’s to our mutual victory. We can beat this.
Helpful resources (I’ll be updating this list as I find more, so be sure to keep checking back).
How to wash your hands:
Channels TV breaking news report
Update (Friday, 25 July)
Lagos state emergency numbers to call if you notice any Ebola symptoms:
- 08023169485
- 08033086660
- 08033065303
- 08055281442
- 08055329229
Update (Friday 25 July)
CNN article on why the Ebola virus has proven difficult to eradicate worldwide
Update 4:30 pm, Friday (25 July)
The Liberian man is said to have died this morning. Apparently his embassy has been informed. Meanwhile, there’s no official word yet on results of the tests for Ebola. Fingers crossed that maybe it’s something else?
Update. 4:41 pm, Friday (July 25)
There’s news going round about using hand sanitisers. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, a leading public health authority), handwashing with soap and water still beats sanitisers for removing germs. But you have to wash with the right technique, as in the video I shared above! Please go and check it out again and be sure you get the technique right!
Update: 12 noon, Saturday. (26 July)
The Liberian man being tested for Ebola (and treated as a possible case of it) has been confirmed to have it by the LUTH lab, according to a Friday update by Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu. State commissioner for health, Dr Jide Idris, however says results from the Dakar lab are still awaited. See more info here.
Update: Sunday, 27 July
I just found the best crash course on Ebola yet, and it’s by our very own, a Nigerian-led African company called Big Cabal Media. The site tells the facts in simple English, no medical jargon and images that speak. Check it out and share the link: EbolaFacts.com.
ARRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! HEEEEEELLLLLPPPPPPP!!!! nah am just joking, we will be alright!
Yeah, we will be, hopefully. Be sure to spread the word though, and let people know they need not be afraid.
BROSSSSSSSS, good job with
You mean, with the post, I assume? Thanks. 🙂
Thanks Ayomide. Shared the post already.
Thanks, Iquo. The more people know this, the better.
Thanks so much for this information Ayomide.
You’re welcome, Dr Umoren! Please let’s spread the word on protection.
Waoh! Ayomide this is great. Always knew ur creative mind would bless our world. You are a blessing in these generation. Great job!
Spreading the word every where. Thanks Doc for this very insightful post.
Keep it up, Olajumoke. And thank you too!
Many thanks Doc. Ayomide, Spreading the word already.
Thanks Melvina! Let’s get it out.
Thanks AY for this info, I personally like the approach to this rather depressing and frightening situation. Yes, we can rise above it!
Yeah we can! It’s serious, but it’s not hopeless.
Thanks for this enlightenement.
Great post. Thanks bro.
Thank you too, Ekwe.
Hi Doc, thanks for the useful info. I have made a point to share with others. Thank you.
You’re welcome Lisa! Keep it up!
Thank u so much for the information Ayomide.God bless u
Amen. Please keep sharing!
Many thanks for this. Although I am not based in Nigeria, I have family members who reside there so I am able to alert them
Nice one Doc. We really need 2 b informed abt ds so called disease n u just did. Kip d info flowing pls.
Thank you, Hellen. We will keep it flowing together.
Thank you for the information. I pray it is not Ebola because our doctors are on strike.
Sadly, Oluyinka, it looks like it really is o. Let’s hope things change in the next few days. In the meantime let’s do all we can to protect ourselves and those we love.
It is not airborne but it could be spread by air by coughing, sneezing if the victim is within 3 feet. Cover your cough, your antecubital is more effective than a napkin. Practice droplet precautions for ebola.Also ebola is a virus. EBOLA IS A VIRUS. VIRUSES can lay dormant on newspapers, bottles, plastic, rubbers and any other surface. There is no vaccine or medication at the moment. Once you get the symptoms, seek help.
Further “my_own_style_of_prevention” includes avoiding congested places, buses with windows up, crowds, queues, handwash as much as you can. gala from a roadside vendor, pure water and la casera etc
Should you be scared? NO. Cautious? YES
I am wrong about the droplet precautions. It can only be spread by contact.IT IS NOT AIRBORNE
Thank you for the contribution, Michael, and even more for fact checking yourself You’re right about the need for caution, but it has to be based on what is actually known about the virus so far, so people don’t get paranoid. Thanks again.
Great job on this Ayomide. I recently wrote an overview about this on http://www.truthfmlive.com/diseasopedia and included uncovered sneeze or cough as a possible route to spread the virus… although it hasn’t been proven, I’m not sure if it can be completely discounted… given that the virus resides in body fluids including saliva and that the virus effectively invades the body through the mucous membrane, it is quite rational to think that getting droplets of saliva/mucus of an infected person into your eyes/nose can jump start the infection… your thoughts please…
It’s spread by CONTACT. It’s expressly been described as NOT AIRBORNE, that is, it’s not by droplets getting in your eyes or nose. They have to get on your skin, and especially your hands (which is why handwashing is such a useful protective strategy). And they have to get there in sufficient quantity.
I agree that it is spread predominantly by CONTACT and not airborne as we typically know viruses such as flu and SAR to be. However, since one of the virus’s most effective entry routes is through the mucous membrane, I would imagine that uncovered sneezing/coughing especially by someone with a high Ebola viral load can lead to infection in someone within close proximity.. just as touching the eyes/nose with a contaminated hand can lead to infection. This is probably why healthcare workers must wear face masks during patient care…
I am not disagreeing with you per se… I’m just speculating out loud… for example getting a sizeable drop of virus loaded saliva onto someone’s eyes/nose is a form of indirect contact that could possibly lead to infection especially if there are abrasions in the nose… 🙂
You’re right, Ebere. At close contact, droplets might be infectious, but my understanding is that there’s still a time factor: that is, it’s not just contact, but close contact and enough time. Which is why health workers are so much at risk.
That said, one of the main arguments against airborne transmission is that the pattern of spread simply doesn’t fit that of known airborne illnesses. If it’s transmitted that way, it’s probably very limited.
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thanks for the detailed info. Great job.
Thank you, Olamide.
Tanx doc Ayo 4 dis insightful word, i think spreadin d new will keep us save frm dis deadly disease nd calm
Yes, let’s spread hope instead of fear. We can Rise Above It!
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