Handing Ebola Cases

Ebola: Prevention and Management of the Infection The Ebola virus infection has dented the medical care field a big blow due to the highly infectious nature and the lack of a proper cure or vaccine at the current time. There is need hence for the absolute preparation for handling and prevention of the continued spreading of the viral infection by the healthcare workers. The first step is to be undertaken way before the healthcare workers receive the Ebola patient.

They must have received thorough training and also practically shown that they can efficiently perform all the Ebola related infection control drills and processes particularly in donning and doffing (wearing and removing) the personal protective equipment (PPE). This donning and doffing needs to be supervised at all time by a trained observer in order to see into it that stablished protocols are followed for the eventual protection of the healthcare worker and the general public.

It is also crucial to ensure that as the healthcare worker works in PPE, they should have absolutely no part of the skin exposed as this is a measure that will ensure reduced possibility of having infection from the patient and spreading it even without knowing. During the care for the Ebola patient within the designated facility, it is important that the care is overseen by an onsite manager at all times (CDC, 2014a).

There are several signs and symptoms that an individual may show that can tell that the person is suffering from Ebola infection. Significantly, if the individual has a history of having visited West Africa or any other areas or specific places with reported Ebola cases, the following signs can be considered as being those of Ebola.

The individual shows signs of fever, suffers severe headache, complains from muscle pains, general weakness, experiences fatigue, has diarrhea, vomits frequently, suffers abdominal/stomach pain and displays unexplained hemorrhage then these could be conclusive enough to have Ebola as the infection. It is worth noting that the signs may start showing any time from the 2nd to the 21st day after the individual was exposed to the virus though the general average is 8 to 10 days.

There is high possibility of individuals recovering from the infection is proper and extensive care is taken, good supportive clinical care as well as the immune response of the patient are significant in the recovery of the patient (CDC, 2014b). The people who are risk are those who live together with an infected person and the healthcare worker taking care of a patient with Ebola.

This is because the viral infection can be passed through getting intro contact with the fluids from the body of the victim like the vomit, sweat, blood, urine and feces of the person who is infected by the virus.

The only prevention measures that have so far proven effective are avoiding getting into contact with the fluids from the body of a victim of Ebola, regular washing of hands, proper handling of the body of a person who has died of the virus is also important since the virus does not die even after the death of the individual, regular disinfection of surfaces that harbor several people occasionally is also a preventive measure.

If these measures are taken, then these are the only sure ways of protecting self and also.