As the threat of Ebola continues to grow we should all be aware of how to combat the disease that has infected over 7,000 people in West Africa. Here is some useful information to help prevent the spread of Ebola. Ebola is not an airborne virus. It can only spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluid. Patients that have been infected should also have their family members and others who come into close contact on a regular basis screened for the disease. Contact should only be made for medical attention only. Even then medical staff wear overalls to protect themselves as the disease cannot pass through protective clothing such as gloves and goggles.
Eyes must also be covered at all times when at close risk to contact. This is due to the eyes being an extremely vulnerable area of the human body. If potential contamination is on human skin it is possible to wash off immediately with soap and water. Similarly the inside of the mouth/nose and broken skin are particularly vulnerable areas.
Dirty washing such as clothes, bed sheets etc. should be incinerated if bodily fluids come into contact with them. A particular nasty effect of Ebola is that it causes severe bleeding making it much easier to contaminate materials.
It is also not known how long Ebola can remain a threat once passed on to a surface or material making it particularly important to remove and incinerate anything it comes into contact with.
For the time being Ebola does not pose a substantial threat to the western world with only 1 case of infection in the UK who has since recovered but it is always important to be aware of potential life threatening situations and what actions you can take to reduce any risk to your health.