Ebola disease: Symptoms and treatment

Ebola disease is the term for a group of rare illnesses caused by Ebola virus, Sudan virus, Bundibugyo virus and Taï Forest virus. This information applies to all of them unless otherwise specified.

On this page

• Symptoms of Ebola disease
• If you become ill
• Diagnosing Ebola disease
• Treating Ebola disease

Symptoms of Ebola disease

Symptoms of Ebola disease begin 2 to 21 days after exposure. They can start suddenly and include:

• fever
• chills
• headache
• sore throat
• feeling tired
• joint pain
• muscle pain and weakness

These symptoms may be followed by:

• nausea
• vomiting that can be bloody
• diarrhea that can be bloody
• rash
• bleeding

Ebola disease often progresses to severe illness that can be fatal. Survivors may still show symptoms for longer periods of time during recovery, including:

• joint pain
• headache
• muscle pain
• hearing loss
• feeling tired
• psychological symptoms, such as:
  • anxiety
  • insomnia
  • depression

If you become ill

Immediately separate yourself from others and call your public health authority if anyone in your household:

• has any symptoms and
• has travelled in the last 21 days to an area affected by Ebola disease

Describe your symptoms over the phone, tell your local public health authority where you have been travelling or living, and mention any possible exposure risks. For information on exposure risk, see the Prevention and risks page.

To determine if Ebola disease is a risk at your destination, check the Health section of your destination's travel advice and advisories page.

Do not visit a doctor or a hospital right away. The public health authority will arrange for you to be assessed.

Follow their instructions and:

• continue to separate yourself from others
• avoid physical contact with people and animals
• wash your hands frequently, especially after vomiting or using the toilet

It's important to take steps to prevent others from getting sick. Make sure others do not come into contact with your body fluids, including:

• blood
• urine
• feces
• vomit
• saliva
• sweat
• semen
• breast milk

Make sure others do not come into contact with anything that may have come in contact with your body fluids, such as:

• toilets
• linens
• clothing
• toiletries

Do not allow others to handle your waste, or to do any cleaning or disinfecting in your home. Your public health authority will explain how to manage your waste and properly clean and decontaminate your home.

Learn more:

• Preventing Ebola disease
• Regional public health authorities

Diagnosing Ebola disease

Your doctor may suspect you have Ebola disease based on your symptoms and travel history. They will arrange a laboratory test to confirm a diagnosis. This is because the symptoms of Ebola disease can be similar to other diseases such as malaria, dengue or Lassa fever.

Learn more:

• Malaria
• Dengue
• Lassa fever

Treating Ebola disease

There's currently no approved treatment for Ebola disease in Canada. Patients can receive oxygen, intravenous fluids and other drugs in designated treatment sites to help with symptoms.

Ebola disease is a severe, often fatal illness. The sooner you seek help and are diagnosed, the better your chances of survival.

Clinical trials for some treatments have shown positive results for Ebola disease caused by Ebola virus. However, none have been approved for use in Canada.

Vaccination

A vaccine called Ervebo^® is approved in Canada to prevent Ebola disease caused by Ebola virus. It is not part of recommended routine immunizations or vaccinations prior to travel. Instead, it could be used to help control an outbreak in Canada.

Ervebo^® vaccine is not approved or recommended to prevent Ebola disease caused by:

• Sudan virus
• Taï Forest virus
• Bundibugyo virus