Malaria or Ebola? When a fever should worry you
Health experts are advising that early symptoms of Ebola can be easily mistaken for malaria, urging caution for those with travel history to outbreak areas. The guidance emphasizes that bleeding is not a universal symptom of the virus.
Why it matters
Clear public health communication is vital for preventing the spread of infectious diseases and reducing panic during potential outbreaks.
Ebola outbreak in DRC People with malaria-like symptoms should be assessed for Ebola if they have travelled to an active outbreak area or had direct contact with an infected person or their body fluids, an infectious diseases specialist has advised.
Prof Rodney Adam, a consultant infectious diseases specialist at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, said the early signs of Ebola could easily be confused with malaria and other common illnesses.
He said bleeding, often portrayed on social media as a hallmark of the disease, is rare and usually occurs in severe cases.
“Symptoms start about four to 10 days after the virus has entered the body. The initial symptoms resemble those of malaria and may include fever, weakness, tiredness and muscle pains.”
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