Public should be viglant about early signs of Ebola virus disease (EVD)

The public should be vigilant and aware of the early signs of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and get treatment as early as possible if they show signs of infection.

President of the Malaysian Integrated Medical Professionals Association (MIMPA) and virologist Dr Dhesi Baha Raja said among the symptoms were fever, headache, sore throat, joint pains and loss of appetite.

"The patient would also suffer from vomitting, diarrhoea, and stage two internal and external bleeding. Although there are no cases in this country, preventive measures are, however, very important.

"EVD is a fatal viral disease which kills between 50 to 60 percent of people infected by it," he told Bernama on Monday.

Dr Dhesi, who was the founder of the "The Malaysian Medical Gazette", said so far, there was no specific cure for the disease.

He said the treatment for it now was symptomatic, which was to provide treatment according to the condition of the patient.

For instance, if the patient was dehydrated, the treatment would involve giving water to the patient's body.

Dr Dhesi also said the public should take basic hygiene measures such as washing hands, as well as universal food handling steps to prevent being infected by the deadly disease.

Hospital staff were also advised to wear safety equipment and clothes such as masks and gloves as they were at higher risks of contracting the disease.

"The virus spread through bodily fluids including urine, blood and sperm, and if spread through the sperm, the virus could remain active for seven weeks," he said.

The Ebola virus was first detected in early 1976 in Yambuku, Zaire in Congo, and it was later named after the nearby river.

"It was believed to be spread by bats and later infected humans," he said.

However, he added that the public should not panic but should follow the advice of the government, get the latest information, and observe personal hygiene.

He added that the Health Ministry had taken early steps to prevent the spread of the disease in the country.

To date, there had been no spread of the disease here.