Kingston, Jamaica— The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the number of death so far from the Ebola epidemic has risen to 729 in West Africa triggering alarm worldwide. But just what is Ebola? OBSERVER ONLINE brings you a special health feature on this deadly virus.OriginWhat is Ebola?How is it transmitted?Symptoms of EbolaCure

It first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks, in Nzara, Sudan, and in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter was in a village situated near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name.

The Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.

According to WHO reports, the virus is transmitted to people from wild animals, and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission.

The Organisation reports that Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals. In Africa, infection has been documented through the handling of infected chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelopes and porcupines found ill or dead.

EVD is a severe acute viral illness often characterised by the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. Symptoms typically start two days to three weeks after contracting the virus.  This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding. Laboratory findings include low white blood cell and platelet counts and elevated liver enzymes.

While severely ill patients require intensive supportive care there are no licensed specific treatment or vaccine available for use in people or animals. Several vaccines are being tested, but none are available for clinical use. New drug therapies are being evaluated.