1st FUL Alert on Ebola Virus Disease to our Staff, Students and General Public

Below are some facts that you need to know about Ebola Virus Disease:

• Ebola Virus Disease is caused by a virus which is normally found in bush animals like infected bats and other infected primates like monkey.
• Human to human transmission is only achieved by physical contact with a person who is acutely and gravely ill from the Ebola virus or their body fluids.
• Transmission among humans is almost exclusively among caregiver family members or health care workers tending to the very ill.
• The virus is easily killed by contact with soap, bleach, sunlight, or drying. A washing machine will kill the virus in clothing saturated with infected body fluids.
• A person can incubate the virus without symptoms for 2-21 days, the average being 5-8 days before becoming ill. THEY ARE NOT CONTAGIOUS until they are acutely ill. High level personal hygiene including regular hand washing with soap and water and use of sanitizer remain effective ways to prevent the contracting and spread of the virus.
• Only when ill does the viral load express itself first in the blood and then in other bodily fluids (to include vomit, feces, urine, breast milk, semen and sweat).
• If you are walking around you are not infectious to others.
• You cannot contract Ebola by handling money, buying local bread or swimming in a pool.
• As always practice good hand washing techniques, but you will not contract Ebola if you do not touch a dying person.
• Remember that only direct contact with secretion from a person who is acutely ill from Ebola Virus Disease may lead to contracting Ebola.
• Staff members are encouraged not to panic and to go about their normal activities.
• That salted water bath and drinks etc does not prevent spread of Ebola Virus Disease.
•  Ebola Virus Disease has not spread to Kogi State.

Thank you.

NB: Part of this document is extracted from a release by US Embassy in Nigeria.

Signed:
Dr. Ogirima Y. A.
Head, University Health Services