Latest Ebola News: Nigeria bans transfer of dead bodies to prevent Ebola spread

Nigeria has banned movement of dead bodies from within and outside the country as part of its measures to avoid the spread of the Ebola virus. Nigeria's Minister of State for Health Khaliru Al-Hassan declared Sunday that anybody who died should be buried wherever the incident happened, especially if the person died in any of the three major Ebola countries -- Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, MENA news agency reported.

The health ministry officials confirmed the detection of seven new cases of Ebola over the weekend. The current Ebola outbreak started in Guinea in December 2013. It has now manifested itself in Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, besides Guinea. As of Aug 4, the four countries have reported 1,711 cases, including 932 deaths. The virus is spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of those infected.

What is it?

The Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a severe condition caused by a virus from the Filoviridae family. Known to be a condition that is transmitted from animals to humans, this virus spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or animal.

What are the symptoms?

The incubation period (or the time between when the actual infection takes place to the time when a person sees symptoms of this condition) for this disease is about one week. After this period a person will commonly see the signs that are considered as 'early symptoms'. According to Dr Ratan,the early symptoms include fever, rashes, headache, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. Apart from that a person may also experience symptoms like pain in the lower back, arthritis like pain all over the body, diarrhea and a sore throat.

How can it be prevented?

According to Dr Ratan, 'There aren't any vaccinations available as of now, so basic hygiene is of importance and a must be followed in order to prevent the onset of the condition. Simple activities like washing your hands well, drinking water from a clean source, maintaining general hygiene and cooking your meat well, can all serve as precautionary measures. Apart from that people should avoid crowded places, or those that are known to have an outbreak. It is also important that if they notice any early symptoms, they should visit a doctor immediately.' Read more about Ebola virus causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and prevention

With inputs from IANS

Photo source: Getty images

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