Ebola Threat

I was planning on visiting Uganda in October in honor of surviving my first three months at site (kind of the probationary period for new PCVs) with a few other volunteers.  We were going to go white-water rafting on the Nile!!!! (Yess, the NILE RIVER)!!!  That definitely would have been one of the highlights of my African adventure, however on second thought, I think I may go ahead and stay right here where it’s safe.  After seeing the symptoms and long-term effects of Ebola and how contagious it is, I no longer have the burning desire to visit Uganda or white-water raft the Nile any time soon.

The Peace Corps doctors sent out an email last week notifying the PCVs that there has been an Ebola outbreak in Uganda.  Before reading the email, I had heard of Ebola before (I think), but never really knew what it was.  For those of you (like me) who don’t know exactly what Ebola is, I pasted some details from the email below:

Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic disease which may be transmitted from person to person in close contact with the blood or secretions (body fluids) of an infected person.

Symptoms

Suspect Ebola if a person has fever of unknown origin and/or an unexplained tendency for bleeding and within the last three weeks had:

o    Close contact  with a person/relative/friend with verified or suspected Ebola/hemorrhagic fever

o    Blood contact with a laboratory sample taken from a patient with Ebola/hemorrhagic fever.

o     Recently attended burial ceremony and or had direct contact with the body of the deceased person suspected to have had Ebola.

o    Contact with an animal with hemorrhagic fever

o    Working in health care in an area with Ebola/Hemorrhagic fever.

Other symptoms of Ebola besides sudden onset of fever are; intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat followed by vomiting, diarrhea, and rash.

Prevention

·         Use universal precautions like gloves, masks when appropriate. Wash hands frequently!

·         Avoid areas with epidemics and limit your travelling as much as possible especially if you are in the endemic area. Remember the whole of Uganda is at risk!

·         Avoid contact with blood, excretions, and utensils of infected persons.

·         Avoid direct (skin to skin) contact like hand shake, hugging.

·         Special isolation measures are needed in handling patients and laboratory specimens. Do not in any way be involved in the care of patients suspected to have Ebola!

Love and Peace Corps,

Dametreea

P.S.  Let’s hope and pray this disease doesn’t hop across the border…this is not something else I would like to add to my list of things to worry about.