Ebola Virus
Key facts
- Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a rare but severe, often fatal illness in humans.
- The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission.
- The average EVD case fatality rate is around 50%. Case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks.
- 0Community engagement is key to successfully controlling outbreaks.
- Good outbreak control relies on applying a package of interventions, namely case management, infection prevention and control practices, surveillance and contact tracing, a good laboratory service, safe and dignified burials and social mobilization.
- Vaccines to protect against Ebola are under development and have been used to help control the spread of Ebola outbreaks in Guinea and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
- Early supportive care with rehydration, symptomatic treatment improves survival. There is no licensed treatment proven to neutralize the virus but a range of blood, immunological and drug therapies are under development.
Inside MC Online Articles
Read about the Ebola Outbreak on Inside MC Online:
Ebola Outbreak Information and Guidance
What are the Risk Factors and the Symptoms of Ebola?
Learn the Facts About the Ebola Outbreaks in West Africa
Memo from the Director of Public Safety & Emergency Management (PDF, 
)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has posted advice on its website for colleges, universities and students about Ebola. The web resource, in Q-and-A format, outlines current travel restrictions for countries in West Africa, provides recommendations for student health centers in addressing students and faculty arriving from countries with current Ebola outbreaks, and offers information resources to educate and safeguard campus populations.
Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)new window
Please see the current recommendations from CDC:
Poster: What do you need to know about Ebola (CDC) (PDF, )
Medical Information on Ebola (OSHA)new window
What parents need to know about Ebola (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Poster: Cleaning and Decontamination of Ebola on Surfaces (OSHA) (PDF, )
Information on Transmission (CDC)
Information on Treatment (CDC)
Questions and Answers on Experimental Treatments and Vaccines for Ebola (CDC)
Travel to areas that have the current Ebola outbreak is not advised.