• Question: explain how Ebola was caused

    Asked by ALICE to Koi on 23 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Arporn Wangwiwatsin

      Arporn Wangwiwatsin answered on 23 Jun 2016:

      Hi ALICE,

      Ebola was caused by a type of virus called (..unsurprisingly..) Ebola virus! This virus was discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in Congo and so far there are known to be 5 different types of the Ebola virus – 4 of these can infect human. The cause of infection can be from body fluid of an infected person (like blood, vomit, sweat, saliva) or from equipment contaminated with the virus. It might also get transmitted to human from infected animals too and bats and wild animals too.

Comments

  • Photo: Mark

    Mark commented on :

    Hi Alice

    Just to add to Koi’s answer. The 2014 Ebola epidemic was thought to be started by a young child coming into contact with an infected bat. How did it spread so far and fast? This is thought to be related to cultural practices. For example there was a traditional healer who treated an ebola patient and then died. At the healer’s funeral hundreds of people touched the body and contracted Ebola. It is estimated 365 people died from this one event.