Key facts

Transmission

Via blood, stools, vomit, urine, saliva/spit, sweat, tears, breastmilk or semen of a person sick
with Ebola that enters the mouth, nose, eyes or a skin cut of another person
Can also be spread when handling the body of someone who has died from Ebola
Contact with objects (for example, bedding, clothes or needles) that have been contaminated
with body fluids from a person who is sick or has died from Ebola
During sex with a man who has recovered from Ebola (possible for 12 months after he has recovered)
Touching infected fruit bats or their faeces or waste, and touching or eating infected bush meat
(bats, monkeys, apes) that is not well cooked

Symptoms

Starts with sudden fever, tiredness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat.
Usually followed by vomiting, diarrhoea and rash. Sometimes people can bleed under the skin or from the nose and gums (inside mouth), or cough blood or have bloody stools (faeces).
A very severe and deadly disease that can kill around half or more of the people infected.

Prevention

Ebola is very serious but can be prevented
Avoid touching sick or dead fruit bats, monkeys or apes or their faeces or waste
Do not eat bushmeat or animal products (blood and meat) unless they have been thoroughly
cooked
Use personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, clothing) when taking care of sick people
Disinfect the homes and personal belongings of people who are sick or have died from Ebola
Wash hands with soap
Ensure safe and dignified burials
Promote social distancing
Isolate sick people
Dispose safely of waste that might be contaminated (by burning or burying it)
Disinfect reusable supplies
Provide psychosocial support
Male survivors of Ebola must practise safe sex for 12 months from onset of symptoms or until their semen tests negative twice for Ebola virus

Vulnerable people

Every person in the community is vulnerable to Ebola
Family and relatives of people who are sick (or who have died) from Ebola, health workers, volunteers, and people who handle dead bodies, are most at risk

If an epidemic occurs

Identify suspected Ebola cases rapidly and refer them to care and treatment centres
Provide safe transport for suspected Ebola cases
Trace contacts and follow them up
Use personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, clothing) when caring for sick people
Isolate sick people
Promote social distancing
Wash hands in communities and health centres with soap, chlorine solution or hand-sanitizer
Provide safe and dignified burials
Disinfect the homes and personal belongings of people who are sick or have died from Ebola
Dispose safely of waste that might be contaminated (by burning or burying)
Disinfect reusable supplies
Male survivors of Ebola must practice safe sex for 12 months from onset of symptoms or until their semen tests negative twice for Ebola virus
Provide psychosocial support
Involve the community in managing rumours and misinformation

Community-based assessment - questions

Make a map of the community and mark the information you gather on the map. Record other details.

When did people start to fall sick with Ebola?
How many people have fallen sick with Ebola? Where?
How many have died? Where?
Who and where are the vulnerable people?
How many people live in the affected community or area? How many children under five years of age live in the area?
How many pregnant women live in the affected communities?
Where are the local health facilities and services? (Include traditional and community carers.)
What are the community’s habits, practices and beliefs about caring for and feeding sick people?
What are the community’s burial traditions, funeral procedures and practices?
Is a social mobilization or health promotion programme in place?
Which sources of information do people use most?
Are rumours or is misinformation about Ebola spreading in the community?
Are health workers, volunteers or people who have survived Ebola stigmatized, left out, threatened or harassed? What are the main effects on them and their lives?
Do people in the community know about Ebola?
Do people in the community know the main signs of Ebola and what to do if someone becomes sick (phone number to call, actions to take)?
Do people in the community know how to protect themselves from Ebola?
Are people in the community taking social distancing seriously? Why? Why not?

Volunteer actions

25. Mass vaccination campaigns 01. Community-based surveillance 02. Community mapping 03. Communicating with the community 04. Community referral to health facilities 05. Volunteer protection and safety 06. Personal protection equipment (PPE) for highly infectious diseases 19. Psychosocial support 20. Isolating sick people Ebola virus disease 28. Physical distancing 34. Handwashing with soap 35. Handwashing in a highly infectious epidemic Ebola virus disease Ebola virus disease 41. Handling and slaughtering animals 42. Promoting safe sex 43. Social mobilization and behaviour change