The São Paulo State Department of Health (SES-SP) reported this Friday (12) that it had ruled out the second suspected case of Ebola. The decision comes after analyzes that were carried out on two samples at different periods. The case in question had been reported on Wednesday (10) after a 31-year-old Brazilian woman, who had recently traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), developed a fever and diarrhea.
She remains hospitalized at the Emílio Ribas Institute of Infectious Diseases (IIER) with favorable clinical evolution, and is receiving treatment for acute gastroenterocolitis. The patient’s first sample was collected before 72 hours from the onset of symptoms, a new collection was made after this period, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) protocol. Both results were negative.
On June 1st, the State of São Paulo ruled out the first suspected case of Ebola recorded this year, in a 37-year-old man who had traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Symptoms
Ebola virus disease usually begins suddenly, with high fever, severe headache, muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Severe cases may present hemorrhagic manifestations and, in critical forms, shock and multiple organ failure.
An individual is considered a suspect if, in the 21 days prior to the onset of symptoms, he or she has stayed, resided or traveled to a place with active transmission of the disease, or has come from a country where the virus is circulating when it is not possible to reliably determine the places visited, and has a fever and/or chills, whether or not accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting or hemorrhagic manifestations.
The virus is not transmitted through the respiratory route. Transmission occurs after the onset of symptoms, through direct contact with blood, secretions, body fluids or tissues of infected people. There is no transmission during the incubation period, before symptoms appear.
