What do we know about the survival of the virus in the environment?
1 Answer
The characteristics of the Ebola virus suggest that it is likely to be relatively fragile in the environment in comparison with the enteric viruses that commonly cause diarrhoeal disease. To date, there is no evidence for transmission of Ebola viruses via drinking-water contaminated by faeces or urine. The virus is unlikely to survive for extended periods outside of the body. Higher temperatures (room temperature or above) are likely to increase the speed at which the virus dies- off in the environment.
Source: WHO & UNICEF (Reviewed by MSF, CDC, and Tufts 2014) Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Key questions and answers concerning water, sanitation and hygiene
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