Ebola virus (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is rare but sever illness found in humans.
The virus transmitted from wild animals to humans and spreads in the human population via human-to-human interaction.
The average EVD case fatality rate was around 50%. Fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks.
Vaccines to protect against Ebola are under development and have been used to control the spread of Ebola in places like Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Early supportive care with hydration and symptomatic treatment improves survival rates. There is no licensed treatment proven to neutralize the virus but a range of blood, immunological and drug therapies are under development.
