Tipperary ETB Adult Learning Scheme
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the Ebola virus OF 2014
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What is Ebola?
Ebola virus disease (EVD), is described by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as "a severe, often fatal illness in humans."
It first appeared in 1976 in two outbreaks - in Sudan; and in the Congo. The outbreak in the Congo was in a village situated near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name.
It is mainly found in Central and West Africa, and can have a 60% death rate.
How is it passed on?
The virus is known to live in fruit bats, and normally affects people living in or near tropical rainforests.
It gets into the human population through close contact with bodily fluids of infected animals such as chimps, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, found ill or dead or in the rainforest.
The virus then spreads in the community through human-to-human contact, with infection resulting from direct contact (through broken skin) and indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the virus is not contagious until a person begins to show symptoms.
A big problem in Africa is that, during funerals of the victims people have direct contact with the body of the dead person, this can increase the spread of the disease because a person can transmit the virus even after death.
Ebola virus disease (EVD), is described by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as "a severe, often fatal illness in humans."
It first appeared in 1976 in two outbreaks - in Sudan; and in the Congo. The outbreak in the Congo was in a village situated near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name.
It is mainly found in Central and West Africa, and can have a 60% death rate.
How is it passed on?
The virus is known to live in fruit bats, and normally affects people living in or near tropical rainforests.
It gets into the human population through close contact with bodily fluids of infected animals such as chimps, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, found ill or dead or in the rainforest.
The virus then spreads in the community through human-to-human contact, with infection resulting from direct contact (through broken skin) and indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the virus is not contagious until a person begins to show symptoms.
A big problem in Africa is that, during funerals of the victims people have direct contact with the body of the dead person, this can increase the spread of the disease because a person can transmit the virus even after death.
What does it do to your body?
Symptoms begin with fever, muscle pain and a sore throat, then quickly to vomiting, the runs and internal and external bleeding. The time from infection with the virus to the start of symptoms, is from 2 to 21 days. Health workers are at serious risk of contracting the disease - two American doctors have already contracted it. Early treatment improves a patient's chances of survival.
How is it treated?
Very ill patients need a lot of support. Patients are often dehydrated and are put on a drink which helps rehydrate them. There is no cure yet for the disease.
Where have there been outbreaks before?
The WHO is calling this the largest outbreak ever recorded of the disease.But there have been outbreaks before - mainly in Uganda, the Congo, Sudan and Gabon.The worst previous outbreak, in 2000 in Uganda, saw 425 people infected, of which just over half died.
Symptoms begin with fever, muscle pain and a sore throat, then quickly to vomiting, the runs and internal and external bleeding. The time from infection with the virus to the start of symptoms, is from 2 to 21 days. Health workers are at serious risk of contracting the disease - two American doctors have already contracted it. Early treatment improves a patient's chances of survival.
How is it treated?
Very ill patients need a lot of support. Patients are often dehydrated and are put on a drink which helps rehydrate them. There is no cure yet for the disease.
Where have there been outbreaks before?
The WHO is calling this the largest outbreak ever recorded of the disease.But there have been outbreaks before - mainly in Uganda, the Congo, Sudan and Gabon.The worst previous outbreak, in 2000 in Uganda, saw 425 people infected, of which just over half died.
Questions
Using a dictionary look up the following words from the story
contracts
explanation
fatal
tropical
infected
indirect
contagious
transmit
Symptoms
internal
external
dehydrated
confirmed
You can also use Google Dictionary Online to look up the words http://google-dictionary.so8848.com/
or type the word into the box below.
Using a dictionary look up the following words from the story
contracts
explanation
fatal
tropical
infected
indirect
contagious
transmit
Symptoms
internal
external
dehydrated
confirmed
You can also use Google Dictionary Online to look up the words http://google-dictionary.so8848.com/
or type the word into the box below.
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