Context: Ebola Virus Disease
WHO warned that the ongoing conflict in Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of Congo is hampering efforts to contain a fresh Ebola outbreak, with insecurity, displacement and weak healthcare infrastructure increasing the risk of transmission.
Ebola Virus Disease
- Type: Viral Haemorrhagic Fever
- Family: Filoviridae
- First identified: 1976 near Ebola River, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Reservoir host: Fruit bats
Transmission
- Infected animals
- Blood / body fluids
- Contaminated objects
- Infected corpses
Symptoms
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Bleeding
- Multi-organ failure
Case Fatality Rate
- 25–90%
Important Prelims Facts
- Current strain: Bundibugyo Ebola Virus
- Ituri and North Kivu are provinces of eastern DRC.
- These regions are recurrent hotspots of armed conflict and Ebola outbreaks.
Control Measures
- Isolation
- Contact tracing
- Safe burial practices
- PPE
- Vaccination for certain strains
WHO Headquarters
- Geneva, Switzerland
PYQ Linkage
- UPSC Prelims 2023: North Kivu and Ituri were in news due to conflict and Ebola outbreaks in DRC.
- UPSC Prelims 2015: Ebola epidemic was associated with Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
