Download Ebola Virus Disease Information for Travellers

Ebola Virus Disease
Information for Travellers
Version 2.6 22.01.2015
What is Ebola virus disease?
Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a rare severe disease, often fatal, caused by the Ebola virus. It is
transmitted through direct contact with blood or other bodily fluids (e.g. saliva, urine) from infected
people, dead or alive. This includes unprotected sexual contact with patients up to seven weeks
after they have recovered. You can also catch the disease from direct contact with blood and other
bodily fluids from wild animals, dead or alive, such as monkeys, forest antelopes, rodents and bats.
Ebola virus does not transmit through the air as influenza does. After two days and up to 21 days
following exposure to the virus the disease may start suddenly with fever, muscle aches, weakness,
headache and sore throat. The next stage of the disease is characterised by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash
and failure of the liver and kidneys. Some patients also have heavy internal and external bleeding
and multi-organ failure. There is no specific vaccine or treatment for the disease, but the World
Health Organization and other regulatory partners are currently working to identify potential viable
treatments.
How do you catch Ebola?
Even if you are living in, or have travelled to, areas currently affected by Ebola, the risk of infection
with Ebola virus is extremely low. However there are well recognised methods whereby Ebola may
be transmitted.
Ebola is transmitted by:
 Direct exposure to the blood, bodily fluids, of a dead or living infected person or animal
 Injury from needles and other sharp implements contaminated by the blood of a dead or
living infected person or animal
 Direct exposure through broken skin or mucous membranes (e.g. in the mouth, under
eyelids) to areas/items that have become contaminated with an Ebola patient’s infectious
fluids such as soiled clothing, bed linen, or used needles.
 Contact with bodily fluids includes unprotected sexual contact with patients up to seven
weeks after they have recovered.
What activities are not dangerous?
If you are in an affected country, it is important to bear in mind that Ebola is not transmitted by:
 Casual contact in public places with people that do not appear to be sick
 Handling money
 Handling groceries
 Swimming in a swimming pool
 Mosquitoes do not transmit the Ebola virus.
HSE-Health Protection Surveillance Centre
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Ebola Virus Disease
Information for Travellers
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Can Ebola virus survive in the environment?
Ebola viruses can survive in liquid or dried material for a number of days (this is a greater risk in
healthcare facilities than in the community unless the area around a person with Ebola virus disease
has been contaminated).
Ebola virus is inactivated by:
 Soap
 Machine washing at higher temperatures
 Ultraviolet radiation (including sunlight)
 Gamma irradiation
 Heating for 60 minutes at 60°C or boiling for five minutes
 Sodium hypochlorite (household bleach)
 Most disinfectants.
NB: Freezing or refrigeration will not inactivate Ebola virus.
Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak in 2014
There is currently an extensive, ongoing outbreak of Ebola in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone (see
here for the latest updates on the situation).
Currently, Ebola poses little risk to the Irish population. It is important to be prepared in the event of
a case of Ebola being imported. Because of our well developed healthcare and Public Health
systems, Ireland is well prepared should this happen.
Travel Advice
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is advising against all non-essential travel to Guinea,
Liberia and Sierra Leone. If your travel to an affected area is necessary, the following information
gives some advice for travellers going to, or departing from affected areas.
Advice to people travelling to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone
The risk that you will be exposed to the Ebola virus is extremely low (see here for a map of affected
areas from the United States’ CDC). The following preventive measures should eliminate the risk of
getting infected:
 Avoid direct contact with blood or bodily fluids of a patient or a corpse and with objects
possibly contaminated;
 Avoid close contact with wild animals and consumption of ‘bush meat’;
 Avoid having unprotected sexual intercourse;
 Those who are providing medical care or are involved in the evaluation of an outbreak
should wear protective clothing, including masks, gloves, gowns, eye protection and practice
proper infection prevention and control measures.
HSE-Health Protection Surveillance Centre
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Advice to people departing from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone
The risk that you have been exposed to the Ebola virus is low. On your return from an affected area,
you should monitor yourself for three weeks:
 If you develop fever, unexplained fatigue, diarrhoea or any other severe symptoms in the
few weeks (21 days) following a departure from an affected area, you should:
o Seek rapid medical attention mentioning your travel history, since it may result
from an infection (such as malaria) that requires immediate investigation and
treatment.
o Seek rapid medical attention mentioning your travel history
o Contact the medical care facility by phone before your visit, in order to enable
medical personnel to use appropriate protection at the time of admission.
 If you have been directly exposed to any bodily fluids from a dead or living person or animal,
including unprotected sexual contact with patients who have recovered, you should contact
your local Department of Public Health at the number given below:
HSE area (Counties)
Phone number
(Office hours)
East (Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow)
01 635 2145
Midlands (Laois, Offaly, Longford, Westmeath)
057 935 9891
Midwest (Limerick, Clare, North Tipperary)
061 483 338
North East (Louth, Meath, Cavan, Monaghan)
046 907 6412
North West (Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim)
071 985 2900
South East (Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford, Waterford, South Tipperary)
056 778 4142
South (Cork, Kerry)
021 492 7601
West (Galway, Mayo, Roscommon)
091 775 200
Staff in the Department of Public Health will advise you whether you need to monitor your health in
the 21 days after your contact with an Ebola patient.
Prevention of infection for visitors and residents
For visitors to or residents in affected areas, the risk of infection in the community is considered
very low if precautions are strictly followed:
• Avoiding contact with symptomatic patients and/or their bodily fluids;
• Avoiding contact with corpses and/or bodily fluids from deceased patients;
• Avoiding contact with wild animals (including monkeys, forest antelopes, rodents and bats),
both alive and dead
• Avoiding consumption of ‘bush meat’
• Wash hands regularly, using detergents or antiseptics;
HSE-Health Protection Surveillance Centre
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Ebola Virus Disease
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Check your travel insurance plan and ensure that medical evacuation is covered in the event
of illness.
In addition, generic precautions for travelling in West African countries also apply for preventing
infection with Ebola virus:
• Washing and peeling fruit and vegetables before consumption;
• Strictly practising ‘safe sex’;
• Avoid habitats which might be populated by bats such as caves, isolated shelters, or mining
sites.
HSE-Health Protection Surveillance Centre
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