Despite it being contagious, Ebola is a rare disease. It can be transmitted only by skin contact or bodily fluids. Air, food and water don’t carry this deadly virus. 50 – 90% of the patients usually die. The success of recovery in this case is a fast treatment received in its very early stages.

The best way to be sure people don’t have Ebola is to monitor themselves closely for 21 days after they’ve come back from a country in West Africa: Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone to be exact.

If they start noticing they feel odd, patients should alert the emergency service right away. The sooner the diagnosis is given the better chances one has to recover.

Ebola causes heavy bleeding in the body by attacking and destroying the cells and organs.  Let’s see what the first Ebola symptoms are (within 2 – 10 days):

• Fever

• Chills

• Muscle aches

• Headache

• Weakness

• Nausea

• Stomach pain

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Lack of appetite

• Sore throat

• Rash

These symptoms resemble a lot with those of a cold, flu or measles. That is why is very important to call the emergency medical services to determine whether it is or it isn’t Ebola if you’ve just came back from West Africa. Doctors would also have to test the patient and rule out malaria and cholera.

This is also the best stage in which the treatment should begin for a big success rate of survival. Otherwise, when the disease starts to progress, the Ebola symptoms may be:

• Severe bleeding inside the body

• Bleeding on the outside from ears, eyes, and nose.

• Blood vomiting

• Coughing up blood

• Bloody diarrhea

• Bloody rashes

Unfortunately, there is no cure from Ebola yet, but the scientists are still working on developing the right substance to kill the virus. In the meantime, the treatment refers to providing the body fluids and electrolytes, vitamins, oxygen and blood transfusions. Doctors also give blood pressure medication to their patients and treat other infections that may occur while the body fights the Ebola virus.

How to avoid getting sick? The only advice is to avoid visiting West Africa, or if you have to, make sure you wear masks, and gloves and protective goggles if you have to stay around sick people. Otherwise, take lots of supplements to strengthen your immune system and don’t touch people or share food or water with them. There is a risk of ingesting a sick person’s saliva. However, a person may be sick with Ebola but if there are no symptoms present then one will not contract the disease.

As you can see Ebola symptoms may be treacherous at first, but if you’ve been to West Africa it is recommended you don’t overrule the possibility of being infected, and treat with maximum seriousness even a sneeze or a bit of tiredness, especially during the first 21 days.

Be real careful and alert the emergency medical services about where you’ve been so that they can be prepared for you.